The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced plans to strengthen regulatory compliance, introduce post-accreditation monitoring visits and develop a national artificial intelligence policy framework to improve the quality of university education in Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, disclosed this on Tuesday at the opening of the commission’s 2026 retreat with vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja.

Ribadu said the commission was strengthening its quality assurance mechanisms to ensure universities complied with established academic standards and improved the quality of admissions, teaching, research and administration.

He said the NUC had introduced post-matriculation monitoring and carrying-capacity visits to universities to improve admission processes, while plans were underway to institute post-accreditation monitoring visits to strengthen programme accreditation.

The retreat, themed ‘Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Governance, Leadership, and Partnership in the Nigerian University System’, brought together vice-chancellors and other stakeholders to discuss challenges affecting university education and identify practical solutions.

Ribadu said the commission also developed new guidelines for awarding and using honorary doctorate degrees, including sanctions for universities that violated the rules.

He added that the NUC Policy Development Strategy Committee completed a comprehensive review and produced Blueprint 2.0 to rapidly revitalise Nigerian university education.

The executive secretary, who assumed office in December 2024, said the commission was developing a 21st-century strategic plan and transitioning from the Annual Performance Evaluation system to the Performance Monitoring System.

On research and innovation, Ribadu called on universities to strengthen collaboration with industry, government and other stakeholders to translate research findings into practical solutions for national development.

He identified agriculture, healthcare, education, technology, manufacturing and the creative industry as sectors where university research should deliver tangible results.

He said the NUC launched the ACE Alliance platform to promote collaboration among Nigeria’s 20 African Centres of Excellence and unveiled a four-volume compendium of their research outputs.

He said the Tertiary Education Research and Application Services platform of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund had also been integrated with the Nigerian Research and Education Network to promote research activities.

Ribadu said the commission was developing a national AI roadmap and policy framework for the university system, and was working to strengthen research commercialisation by establishing a dedicated division.

He also announced that the NUC had developed and deployed e-NUC, a digital platform designed to automate its entire workflow, while accreditation software was being developed to improve transparency, data management and quality assurance.

However, he warned that digital transformation required more than acquiring hardware and software, stressing the need for institutional readiness, appropriate policies, capacity building, and cybersecurity.

The executive secretary also urged universities to explore alternative funding sources, including partnerships with the private sector, alumni associations and development partners, while ensuring accountability and compliance with regulatory requirements.

He said the commission had established partnerships with the World Bank, Agence Française de Développement and the African Development Bank to mobilise additional support for the university system.

Declaring the retreat open, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the engagement was timely, given the rapid changes in higher education driven by artificial intelligence, digital learning, data analytics and emerging research technologies.

Ahmad said universities must address the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, including academic integrity, data protection and responsible use, through appropriate institutional policies.

She called for stronger collaboration between the NUC and university leadership, noting that isolated institutional efforts or regulatory directives alone could not resolve the challenges facing higher education.

The minister urged vice-chancellors to strengthen transparency and accountability in financial management, procurement, recruitment, promotion, admissions and examinations.

She said university leaders must establish clear institutional visions, set measurable performance targets and create environments conducive to academic excellence.

Ahmad also supported the retreat’s proposed communiqué and post-retreat monitoring mechanism, saying the outcome should provide a practical roadmap for measurable improvements across the university system.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Director of Research, Innovation and Information Technology at the NUC, L.M. Faruk, said the retreat was designed to strengthen the relationship between the commission and universities through strategic engagement with vice-chancellors.

Faruk said discussions would focus on regulatory compliance, quality assurance, governance, transformational leadership and strategic partnerships to address longstanding and emerging challenges in university education.

He urged participants to make practical recommendations to improve university administration and advance higher education in Nigeria. (The Nation)