A new report by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has exposed a troubling lack of financial transparency in Nigerian universities, painting a stark picture of secrecy and governance failures. The study, covering 64 universities—including federal, state, and private institutions—found that none of them publicly disclosed their budgets, audited financial accounts, or reports from visitation panels.
Worse still, repeated Freedom of Information Act requests for financial breakdowns were either ignored or denied by university authorities. This contrasts sharply with leading institutions across Africa, such as the University of Cape Town and the University of Nairobi, which publicly share financial reports to enhance credibility and attract funding.
Osita Chidoka, former Aviation Minister and Vice Chancellor of the Centre, decried the opacity, stating, “This culture of secrecy is crippling our universities, scaring away investors, and blocking global partnerships. Institutions of learning should be models of accountability, not havens of impunity.”
The Athena Centre has called for a legal framework mandating annual financial disclosures and transparent governance reforms to ensure Nigerian universities align with global best practices.
