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University admissions: Nigerians want 25-year-old quota policy scrapped

Published

6 years ago

November 10, 2020

‘Policy attacks excellence, celebrates mediocrity’
Bayero lecturers defend policy, blame northern leaders

Academics, among other Nigerians, have called for urgent review or scrapping of the nation’s quota policy in varsity admissions to promote equity and national development.

In a bid to ensure uniform development of the country’s educational sector, the Federal Government, 25 years ago, formulated a policy of granting preference to candidates seeking admission into universities across the country, from states considered to be educationally disadvantaged at the time.

Still justifying the policy in the context of today’s Nigeria, Head of Information at the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the policy was designed to unite the nation by giving everybody from every state of the country, an opportunity to be educated and have a sense of belonging “because every Nigerian is a stakeholder in the polity.”

But former vice-chancellors, Femi Mimiko, Ayodeji Olukoju, Prof Adebayo Adeyemi; the Head, Department of Educational Foundation, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Ngozi Osarenren and Senior legal and Programme Officer, Human Right Law Services (HURILAW) Collins Okeke noted that the policy had been overtaken by 25 years’ events. They argued that quota system in university admissions has been misapplied and should, therefore, be discarded.

Benjamin said the policy, which favours the educationally disadvantaged states will have to continue, because the gap it was intended to close has not yet totally been bridged.

He explained that giving peference to candidates from these states goes beyond merely giving admission to students.

He said the policy was introduced in the 1970s after the Nigerian civil war. “There was mutual suspicion among the ethnic groups and government was looking for a platform to unite the people. JAMB became one of these platforms that could bring the various ethnic groups to form a nation. The policy was designed to accommodate this interest.”

Guided by the policy, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Yobe were categorised as educationally disadvantaged states; while Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Delta, Imo, Akwa-Ibom and Edo states were grouped as educationally developed states.

But stakeholders wondered why, 25 years after the enactment and execution of the policy, states like Cross River, Rivers and Kano with several tertiary institutions, would still be classified as educationally less advantaged.

In the policy, merit is given 45 per cent. This covers all candidates from the country; it gives automatic admission once you meet the cut-off mark. The second is catchment, which is 35 per cent; while the third factor is educationally less advantaged states, which is 20 per cent.

Stakeholders also demand an end to the policy, which they argued, deny candidates who merit admission, the opportunity to gain access into higher institutions of their choice.

Okeke, Huriwa boss, said the policy had outlived its usefulness, describing it as discriminatory, encouraging mediocrity and discouraging excellence.

“Instead of the quota system, there should be incentives for states that do well educationally to encourage them and ginger others to perform better while teachers can be taken from the south and pay more so that they can complement their northern counterparts and effectively impart knowledge. Quota system creates a mediocre kind of educational system,” he said.

Mimiko, erstwhile vice chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA), said while there was nothing wrong with the policy, it should be implemented in such a way that it would not undermine merit.

Mimiko, a professor of political science at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife lamented that the quota system had been implemented in such a way that calls to question the nation-building objective of the country.

He said, “The quota system is supposed to be a stop-gap measure; use it to bring up the disadvantaged and thereafter put a stop to it, and start treating everyone on the same standards.”

He added that the space for the quota system must be a “very small” percentage of the spaces available and that in the listing of those to be accorded space through a quota system, the spaces should still go to the best in such groups. He further suggested that the quota system should be implemented in such a way that it would not give the slightest hint that it was meant to reward “lazy ones.”

To address the lopsidedness, Mimiko called on governments in areas considered educationally-disadvantaged to invest in the sector.

Prof. Adeyemi, former vice chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, lamented that the quota system had been misapplied. To address the problem, he advocated a national cut-off point for prospective students.

“I could recollect my serving as admissions chairman (officer) for the Faculty of Technology at the OAU between 1986 and 1991; admissions were based on the quota system. At that time, I think it was based on the following parameters; merit (40%), catchment (30%), educationally disadvantaged states (20%) and discretion (10%).

“Pass mark at that time was 200 to gain admission into Nigerian universities. At no time did we go below the minimum pass mark regardless of the group a candidate belonged to.”

While describing the intention of the quota system as noble, Olukoju lamented that beneficiaries had taken what ordinarily should be a privilege as a right.

He said the quota system had outlived its usefulness and should be phased out.

According to him, the system is giving undue advantage to some people, promoting complacency and mediocrity on the part of the beneficiaries.

Olukoju, who is of the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, said the policy was intended as a stop-gap but the beneficiaries, who are also in command of federal power, retained it to their own advantage, even as their educational status has improved over time.

“It is time to ask governors of the so-called disadvantaged states to account for their budgetary allocation to the education sector in their states. The affirmative action has been abused by its beneficiaries, who have worn it as a badge of honour. Every policy has a life span and this one has become obsolete. It was supposed to encourage the backward states to lift themselves up by their bootstraps but it has unfairly rewarded and reinforced mediocrity and an entitlement mentality.

For Osarenren, if students, regardless of their states, were given sound knowledge; they would effectively compete among themselves.

The scholar noted that the admission policy had only succeeded in sowing a seed of discord between parents and children from different regions.

“Every child must be treated well, if you admit a child with a lower score, how would such a child compete equally with others? The disparity in the admission system showed that government is merely paying lip service to qualitative education.

Also, a former chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ilorin chapter, Dr. Usman Raheem, says the quota system has outlived its relevance.

Raheem, in a chat with The Guardian in Ilorin, argued that the quota system for admission should be jettisoned and should revert to merit.

The ex-ASUU boss, who is a lecturer at the Department of Geography and Environmental Management of the institution, added that the system had failed to solve the problem of imbalance in the nation’s social strata.

He compared the system to a situation where the most qualified elder brother for a post was being asked to step down for the least qualified brother for the same position.

“In the process, many qualified candidates are daily dropped for the average ones under the guise of catchment zones and educationally disadvantaged states. However, where a particular area has the facilities like a higher institution for instance, I think it will not be out of place to give the people there “a little preference” above the others,” he added.

However, Profs. Tanko Adamu and Barde Ibrahim of Bayero University, Kano (BUK) argued that the quota policy should be retained, as the objective behind it had not been fully met.

Adamu, a professor of Geography, contended that there was still a wide gap between the south and the north in the educational system, which still needed time to bridge.

He lamented that successive governments in the region had failed to give priority attention to education.

According to him, for the gap to be bridged, attention has to be given to basic education, regretting that public primary education had been neglected over the years in the North.

“If you want to bridge any gap, the fundamental work is actually at the basic education level, and we all know that the public primary education system has been neglected over the years. Successive governments have not been focusing on this area, which is actually the key to addressing the gap between the two regions.

“We are not doing as well as we should in the north, so there is no way we can catch up with the South,” he maintained.

He called on leaders in the region to give adequate training to teachers in the area.

“We do not value education in a way that we can sit down and plan properly and I think that is where the problem is,” Adamu stated.

For Barde, a professor of Accounting, the quota system is still in order. He likened it to the 13 per cent derivation enjoyed by oil-producing states.

He also argued that the quota policy was still relevant because the North was still behind the South and called for the establishment of more schools in the region.

-The Guardian

Related Topics:Featured JAMP university admission

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Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

Published

8 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal

Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

The 19-year-old Spain international insists his World Cup and La Liga triumphs speak for themselves, while also being named one of Barcelona’s vice-captains ahead of the October 26 ceremony.

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has made it clear that he will not campaign or “beg” for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, stating that his achievements on the pitch for club and country should speak for themselves. Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord, the 19-year-old responded to comments from rival Kylian Mbappé, who had previously made his case for the award by highlighting his World Cup Golden Boot win, which also saw him become the competition’s all-time top goalscorer.

“I don’t think I need to campaign for the Ballon d’Or. I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal told reporters. “I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more. I think I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s your job and I will not beg for anything.”

The Spanish international, who finished second in last year’s voting behind PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé, is among the leading contenders for the prize alongside Mbappé, Harry Kane, Dembélé, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London. Yamal was officially named among the 30 nominees for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or when France Football unveiled the list on Tuesday, marking his third nomination.

When asked about Dembélé’s recent comments naming Kvaratskhelia, Kane, and Mbappé as his top three, Yamal joked: “He’s a friend of Kylian, right? Honestly, I don’t care. I’m very happy with the year I had. Whenever I’ve faced both of them, I’ve won. They must have taken a dislike to me for some reason.” Spain knocked France out of the World Cup semi-finals with a convincing 2-0 victory.

Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

News

Lagos Moves to Slash Agency Fees, Curb Rent Hikes With New Tenancy Bill

Published

10 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos Moves to Slash Agency Fees, Curb Rent Hikes With New Tenancy Bill

The Lagos State Government has unveiled a proposed tenancy law aimed at overhauling the relationship between landlords, tenants and estate agents, with measures designed to curb arbitrary rent increases, excessive agency charges, fraudulent property transactions and prolonged tenancy disputes.

The proposed Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill, 2025, currently before the Lagos State House of Assembly, seeks to replace the existing tenancy framework with a more comprehensive regime covering rent payments, advance rent, agency fees, eviction, dispute resolution and the conduct of landlords and property agents.

The bill, however, has not yet become law and remains subject to legislative consideration and possible amendments.

One of the most significant provisions in the proposed legislation is the plan to reduce estate agency fees to five per cent of annual rent.

The proposal has attracted considerable attention because tenants in Lagos routinely complain about the financial burden of agency, agreement and other charges demanded when securing accommodation.

The Lagos State House of Assembly had previously stated during deliberations on the bill that the agency commission would be reduced from the existing 10 per cent benchmark to five per cent. An agent who charges above the prescribed rate under the proposed law could face sanctions, including refund of the excess, a fine of up to N1 million or imprisonment for up to two years, or both.

The bill also proposes compulsory registration of estate agents with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority, LASRERA.

Under the proposal, operating as an estate agent without the required registration would become an offence. The government says the measure is intended to check the activities of fraudulent and unregistered operators accused of collecting money from unsuspecting members of the public, engaging in multiple transactions on the same property and imposing questionable charges on prospective tenants.

One-year limit on advance rent

Another major proposal is the restriction on advance rent.

The draft legislation seeks to prevent landlords from demanding excessive periods of rent upfront. Under the proposed framework, a new tenant would generally not be required to pay more than one year’s rent in advance, while sitting tenants who ordinarily pay monthly would not be compelled to make excessive advance payments.

The measure is expected to address one of the biggest challenges facing accommodation seekers in Lagos, where prospective tenants often complain of demands for one, two or even more years’ rent before they are allowed to occupy a property.

Landlords may face scrutiny over rent increases

The proposed law also seeks to tackle what it describes as unreasonable increases in rent.

Under the bill, a tenant who considers a rent increase excessive could challenge it, with the court empowered to consider factors including rents charged for comparable properties and evidence presented by both the landlord and tenant.

The proposal is significant in a city where rapid increases in rental values have become a major concern for residents, particularly low- and middle-income earners.

The bill also provides protection for tenants who challenge an allegedly unreasonable increase, including restrictions on eviction while the matter is before the court.

Faster resolution of landlord-tenant disputes

Perhaps one of the most ambitious aspects of the proposed legislation is its attempt to speed up tenancy-related litigation.

The bill provides for tenancy proceedings through originating summons and proposes mechanisms designed to shorten the time between filing a case and hearing it.

It also empowers courts to sit on weekends and public holidays for tenancy matters and provides for virtual hearings.

The proposed framework further provides for mediation as an alternative to prolonged litigation, with the aim of resolving disputes more quickly and reducing the backlog of landlord-tenant cases.

The government has argued that faster dispute resolution would benefit both landlords and tenants by reducing the cost and uncertainty associated with lengthy court proceedings.

Tenants to provide evidence

The Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said tenants seeking legal action would be required to provide evidence including proof of rent payments and updated utility bills.

Protection against self-help eviction

The proposed framework also strengthens legal protection against arbitrary eviction and other forms of self-help.

The draft bill provides for lawful procedures that landlords must follow when seeking possession of their properties. It seeks to discourage practices such as forcibly ejecting tenants, interfering with access to premises or taking other unilateral measures without following due process.

It also contains provisions relating to abandoned premises, recovery of possession and enforcement of court orders.

Service charges, deposits and professional fees

The bill goes beyond rent and agency commissions to address other financial issues associated with tenancy.

Among the proposed provisions are rules concerning service charges, facility and security deposits, as well as professional fees.

The draft framework seeks greater transparency in the handling of tenants’ money and provides for accountability concerning service charges and refundable deposits. Legal reviews of the bill indicate that security deposits would generally be refundable, subject to documented deductions for damage or other legitimate claims.

LASRERA intensifies enforcement

The proposed reforms come against the backdrop of increased enforcement by LASRERA against fraudulent operators in Lagos’ property market.

The Commissioner for Housing disclosed that the regulatory agency recovered more than N270 million from fraudulent estate agents between 2025 and 2026.

The government says the enforcement campaign, combined with the proposed legislation, is intended to restore confidence in the state’s real estate sector and protect residents from exploitation.

Stakeholders raise concerns

While the proposed reduction in agency fees has been welcomed by tenant advocates, housing stakeholders have also raised concerns about possible loopholes.

Spaces for Change, which participated in the 2025 public hearing on the bill, warned that agents could attempt to circumvent a five per cent cap by introducing additional charges under different descriptions.

The organisation recommended that the prescribed five per cent ceiling should cover other related charges in order to prevent agents from simply shifting costs from “agency fee” to documentation, inspection or other charges.

There have also been calls for the bill to provide clearer safeguards around the collection, storage and use of tenants’ personal information, given the large amount of sensitive data prospective tenants routinely submit to landlords and estate agents.

Bill still awaiting passage

Despite the publicity surrounding the proposed reforms, tenants and landlords have been urged not to assume that the new provisions are already enforceable.

The Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill remains a proposal before the Lagos State House of Assembly. Until it is passed by the Assembly and receives the necessary assent, the existing tenancy law remains the applicable legal framework.

If eventually enacted, however, the proposed law could represent one of the most far-reaching changes to landlord-tenant relations in Lagos in years, particularly through its proposed five per cent agency-fee cap, restrictions on advance rent, compulsory registration of agents, stronger protections against arbitrary rent increases and faster mechanisms for resolving tenancy disputes.

For millions of Lagos residents struggling with rising accommodation costs, the central question will now be whether the proposed reforms can move from the pages of the bill to effective enforcement across the state’s notoriously expensive and complex rental market.