More than half of the laws signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since assuming office in 2023 are focused on establishing new universities and other tertiary institutions, a new policy report has found.
The report, titled “Policy in Practice: An Engagement Report on Laws Assented to by President Tinubu (2023–2025),” was launched on Thursday, June 19, in Abuja by Legis360, in collaboration with the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA).
It reveals that out of over 42 laws enacted so far, the majority are related to expanding federal education infrastructure, signaling a key policy direction of the current administration.
“The key finding is that education is one of the major policy directions for the Tinubu administration,” said Samuel Folorunsho, Executive Director of Legis360, while presenting the report.
“If it has passed over 40 laws, and over 50% of those laws are establishing new federal universities and polytechnics, then it says a lot.”
The document highlights how this flurry of legislative activity reflects not only an educational push but also a growing trend toward federal restructuring.
Notable among the laws cited are the Electricity Act 2023 and the proposed State Judicial Councils Act, both of which are described as pivotal to empowering sub-national governments and deepening decentralisation.
“What stands out is that this administration is doing things through the Assembly, not just through executive orders.
“It’s a legislative-first strategy aimed at institutionalising reforms and reinforcing Nigeria’s federal structure,” Folorunsho explained.
In addition to analysing the thematic focus of the assented bills, the report also flags ongoing concerns. These include persistent gaps in the implementation of new laws due to inadequate budgetary support, continued executive dominance over legislative agenda-setting, and insufficient mechanisms for monitoring legislative impacts.
According to the report, there is also a growing trend toward regional legislation. Proposals to create development commissions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, for example, are seen as a response to long-standing demands for equitable development and regional empowerment.
The report makes several recommendations: enhanced collaboration between the Presidency and the National Assembly, provision of technical and financial support to state governments, and ensuring all new legislation incorporates provisions for gender, youth, and disability inclusion.
Politicians’ Attitude, Not INEC, Biggest Threat to 2027 Elections – Ezenwa
At the same event, Ezenwa Nwagwu, Executive Director of PAACA, drew attention to the fragile nature of Nigeria’s electoral process, warning that politicians themselves pose the biggest risk to democratic progress.
“The most threatening thing for the Nigerian election is the attitude of the politicians. They are the ones who subvert the rules for dubious advantage,” Nwagwu stated bluntly.
Nwagwu emphasised that despite electoral reforms such as the Electoral Act, the real challenge lies in holding the political class accountable.
He warned that unless the conduct of politicians is put under scrutiny ahead of the 2027 general elections, governance and public trust will continue to suffer.
“2027, for me, should be a year in which we put the politicians on the front burner of conversation. Their attitude, their behaviour, their misbehaviour — if you like — should all be put on the front burner,” he concluded.
The “Policy in Practice” report is expected to serve as a vital resource for civil society, journalists, and legislators seeking to drive evidence-based advocacy and reforms in Nigeria’s complex governance landscape.
