By Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi, Abuja
Nigeria’s Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has called for greater investment in human capital development in Nigeria. He made the call during a public hearing on six bills related to the establishment of new universities and amendment of existing laws, organized by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.
Represented by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, the Senate President stressed that Nigeria’s growing population requires significant investments in human capital to drive growth and progress. “Our population continues to grow, and so must our investments in human capital,” he said.
Akpabio highlighted the importance of universities of technology, health sciences, education, and vocational studies in preparing a workforce that can drive innovation and deliver essential services. He emphasized the need for these institutions to be sustainable, adequately funded, and effectively governed.
The public hearing focused on the following bills, Federal: University of Education (Special), Oyo (Establishment) Bill, 2024; University of Health Sciences, Funtua, Katsina State (Establishment) Bill, 2024; University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State (Establishment) Bill, 2024; University of Geomatics, Oyo, Oyo State (Establishment) Bill, 2025; University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba, Lagos State (Establishment) Bill, 2025 and; University of Technology, Omoku, Rivers State (Amendment) Bill, 2025
Sen. Muntari Dandutse, who sponsored the Federal University of Health Sciences Bill, emphasized the need for Nigeria to align with global trends in medical practice and technology. Sen. Yunus Akintunde, who sponsored the Federal University of Education (Special) and Federal University of Geomatics bills, highlighted the importance of providing education access for people with disabilities and promoting special need education in Nigeria.
