The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the National Universities Commission (NUC) Act to strengthen university regulation, enforce academic standards and improve governance.
The bill, sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, was presented by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno during plenary on Thursday.
Monguno said the proposed legislation would update the legal framework governing university education to reflect changes in the sector, including the growth of private universities, technological advancement and globalisation.
He said the bill would strengthen accreditation and enforcement powers, promote research and innovation, and improve the commission’s operational efficiency.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Victor Umeh (NDC, Anambra Central) called for stronger powers to enable the NUC to enforce governance standards and sanction universities that violate regulatory requirements.
Umeh alleged that some private universities had adopted corporate management structures that conflicted with prescribed governance arrangements, weakening regulatory oversight.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the proposed law could help align Nigeria’s university system with international standards and protect the credibility of academic qualifications.
Akpabio also directed the Senate Committee on Basic and Tertiary Education to investigate allegations of irregular governance practices at a university in Anambra State.
The bill, titled the National Universities Commission Act, 2026 (SB. 1056), was referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund for further consideration.
The committee was given four weeks to report back to the Senate.
