Reps Committee Probes Nine Federal Universities Over Financial Irregularities

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has raised concerns over alleged financial irregularities in some federal universities, directing their managements to account for public funds and ensure strict compliance with budgetary provisions.

The committee also summoned the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, to appear before it next week and submit details of the institution’s 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets over an alleged N7.1bn discrepancy in its financial records.

The committee chairman, Abubakar Fulata, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday after an oversight visit to universities and inter-university centres across the South-West geopolitical zone.

Fulata said the exercise exposed inconsistencies in financial records, inadequate transparency and possible violations of budgetary rules, warning that such practices could further undermine the university system.

He questioned how some institutions could submit conflicting figures for internally generated revenue and expenditure.

“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 lawmaker urged vice-chancellors and university management teams to maintain transparency and accountability, stressing that they must properly account for both government allocations and internally generated revenue.

He said sound financial management was essential to improving the quality of university education and ensuring that public funds were used for their intended purposes.

Fulata acknowledged that lawmakers faced political demands ahead of the 2027 general elections but maintained that political activities would not prevent the National Assembly from carrying out its constitutional oversight duties.

The committee also called on university authorities to observe the federal character principle in staff recruitment and student admissions to ensure fairness and equitable representation.

Institutions directed to update their financial records and submit comprehensive reports on their 2024, 2025 and 2026 budget implementation include the University of Lagos; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Federal University Oye-Ekiti; Federal University of Technology, Akure; and Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun.

Ogunsola was unavailable during the committee’s visit to UNILAG. Officials who represented her were reportedly unable to explain the alleged N7.1bn excess in the university’s 2024 and 2025 financial records or provide further details requested by the lawmakers.

Other institutions visited included the University of Ibadan; Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo; Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji; Federal University of Technology and Environmental Studies, Iyin-Ekiti; and the Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry.

The committee said the exercise was part of the National Assembly’s constitutional responsibility to scrutinise public expenditure, monitor budget implementation and ensure that government institutions use public funds for approved purposes.

It added that the exercise was intended to strengthen accountability and address financial and administrative challenges affecting the delivery of quality tertiary education.