The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has urged vice-chancellors and management teams of federal universities to uphold transparency and accountability in their financial dealings and ensure strict compliance with the Appropriation Act.
The Chairman of the committee, Abubakar Fulata, gave the directive in a statement released on Saturday following an oversight visit to universities and inter-university centres across the South-West geopolitical zone.
Fulata said the on-the-spot assessment by the committee had exposed the enormous challenges confronting the institutions, warning that financial irregularities, lack of transparency and non-compliance with budgetary provisions could worsen their situation.
Citing alleged infractions and inconsistencies in financial records submitted by some universities, the lawmaker expressed concern over discrepancies in their reported internally generated revenue and expenditure.
He said, “In some cases, the documents submitted contradict each other. You claimed to have generated N9bn and spent N10bn. Where did you get the N1bn from?
“In another instance, you will see N12bn generated as income and only N8bn spent, without any information regarding the whereabouts of the balance of N4bn.”
The committee chairman stressed that public institutions must account for funds allocated to them and revenue generated internally, noting that proper financial management was essential to improving the quality of university education.
He also acknowledged the political demands on members of the National Assembly ahead of the 2027 general election but said such considerations should not undermine their constitutional responsibilities.
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Fulata said the oversight exercise was necessary to ensure that no sector of the economy suffered neglect because of the election year.
He further urged university authorities to uphold the federal character principle in the recruitment of staff and admission of students to ensure fairness and equitable representation.
Meanwhile, the committee directed the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, to submit details of the institution’s 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets and appear before it next week.
Ogunsola was unavailable during the committee’s visit to the university, while officials who represented her could not adequately explain an alleged N7.1bn excess in the institution’s 2024 and 2025 financial records or provide the additional information requested by the lawmakers.
The committee also directed the managements of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State; Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State; Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State; and Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, to update their records and submit comprehensive reports on the implementation of their 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets.
Other institutions visited during the exercise included the University of Ibadan, Oyo State; Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo State; Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State; Federal University of Technology and Environmental Studies, Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State; and Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, Lagos State.
The oversight exercise forms part of the National Assembly’s constitutional responsibility to scrutinise public expenditure, monitor the implementation of approved budgets and ensure that government institutions utilise public funds for the purposes for which they were appropriated.
The committee said the exercise was aimed at strengthening accountability in the university system and ensuring that financial and administrative shortcomings did not further undermine the delivery of quality tertiary education.
