Alausa Tightens Recruitment Controls in Federal Universities

Nigeria’s Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, has directed vice-chancellors of federal universities to justify staffing requests according to institutional needs, labour-market demand and national human capital development priorities. Universities are to prioritise replacing staff who retire, resign, die, are dismissed or transferred. Requests for recruitment beyond those replacements must show market demand, graduate employability and programme relevance, and establish that proposed courses do not duplicate those at other institutions. The October 19, 2026 directive aims to curb costs borne by the federal budget and improve workforce planning.