N1.3 Trillion Needed to Boost Universities Infrastructures

In a recent development, the Federal Government of Nigeria says about N1.3 trillion would be needed to put public universities in Nigeria back on track as well as place them on a good stead to compete globally.

The financial estimate was revealed by the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) assessment programme carried out by government on all public universities during 2013.

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, the current minister of education, announced this at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja.

The Minister said the NEEDS assessment intervention grant was sequel to several deliberations between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

He said: "We have persistent complaints from our universities about dilapidated laboratories and so on; then the government took the bull by the horn. President Goodluck Jonathan set up a committee to go round the universities on the platform of NEEDS Assessment which was conducted two years ago.

"At the end of the assessment, the universities came up with a bill of N1.3 trillion required to address the necessary need in public universities and government accepted it.

A 5-year period has been agreed between the Federal Government and ASUU leadership to address the issue with a provision of N220 billion every year.