During his 110th Inaugural Lecture, Professor Mustapha Arikewuyo, highlighted that despite the increase in institutions, many existing universities lack adequate facilities and cannot admit up to 40% of applicants.

Arikewuyo’s lecture, titled “From One to Two Hundred and Sixty-two: Navigating the Sustainability Question in the Proliferation of Universities in Nigeria,” focused on issues such as outdated labs and insufficient research facilities. He warned that the proposed creation of 47 new universities could worsen these problems, especially in states with multiple institutions already in place.

He criticized the historical policies that led to the proliferation of universities, particularly under military regimes, and urged a focus on improving the capacity of existing universities rather than establishing new ones.