Daniel Otera
A crisis of fake admissions, delayed academic promotions, and chronic underfunding is threatening the integrity of Nigeria’s capital-based university, the University of Abuja. But the institution’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lar Patricia Manko, is pushing back with a campaign to restore transparency, merit, and innovation.
During a media interaction held in Abuja on Wednesday, Professor Manko revealed that over 200 fraudulent admissions had been uncovered within the university system. Many of the affected cases were linked to individuals who had collected money from desperate families with false promises of securing admission slots.
“When I assumed office, I was confronted with a student issue of admission, where there were over 200 fake admissions,” she stated. “A committee was established, which took time to investigate the reasons, the immediate and remote causes. And that has been remedied.”
She added a stern warning to parents:
“We have parents who are willing to pay money. There is no need to pay money. Nigerian parents should stop paying money to get admission. I want to use this opportunity to say it clearly.”
According to her, most of the affected students were never registered in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) system, the only officially recognised entry path into Nigerian universities.
“Those affected should visit our academic office or even my office directly. If you didn’t go through JAMB or our system, you’re not in. Don’t let anyone deceive you,” she warned.
Professor Lar Patricia Manko
The revelation from UniAbuja is not an isolated incident. According to data released by JAMB, over 706,189 illegal admissions were uncovered across Nigerian tertiary institutions between 2017 and 2020. These were processed outside JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS)—the centralised digital platform designed to enforce merit-based entry.
At a 2022 policy meeting, JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, reaffirmed that:
“Any admission not captured in CAPS is illegal and will not be recognised.”
JAMB also disclosed that at least 88 institutions including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education were found to have conducted admissions in violation of federal guidelines.
The University of Abuja’s proactive exposure of internal irregularities reflects a growing demand for accountability across Nigeria’s higher education sector.
As part of wider institutional reforms, Professor Manko announced efforts to modernise governance systems and restore confidence among students and staff. One of the landmark initiatives was the digital transformation of student elections.
“In March 2025, we conducted the university’s first fully digital Students’ Union Government elections,” she said. “Over 5,000 students voted online. It was a joyful and proud moment. We now have a democratically elected union after years of student voice suppression.”
Another major milestone is the launch of the Career Student Empowerment Centre, which has provided practical skills training to more than 12,000 students. Programmes include entrepreneurship, vocational skills, and personal development.
The centre currently operates a student driving school with over 500 enrollees, and also supports students in registering new businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
“You can imagine students graduating with a driving licence. You can imagine students graduating with their own companies registered,” Professor Manko remarked.
According to the Q3 2023 Nigeria Labour Force Survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the unemployment rate among post-secondary graduates stood at 7.8%. While this figure reflects a decline from previous years due to a new methodology adopted in 2023, it highlights the urgent need for skills-based education to enhance employability.
The acting VC also addressed longstanding welfare concerns, including promotion delays that had frustrated academic staff for years.
“Some promotions were delayed for as long as six years,” she said. “We have addressed that backlog. Over 300 petitions on promotion and staff welfare are now being reviewed.”
But one of the most alarming revelations was the poor condition of staff accommodation.
“Some professors are living in unfit buildings. I saw the photos and I wept. We need serious financial investment and political will to address that.”
Infrastructural upgrades and welfare reforms have been hampered by delayed or unreleased federal funding. According to Professor Manko, over 80% of the university’s 2024 capital allocation has not been cash-backed by the Federal Ministry of Finance, despite formal budget approval.
This problem is not unique to UniAbuja. A 2023 report by BudgIT, a civic tech accountability organisation, revealed that only 28% of capital budgets allocated to federal tertiary institutions were actually released between January and October 2023.
“The government cannot fund education entirely and efficiently,” she noted. “We must begin to explore alternative sources of revenue and enhance the services we offer as a university.”
The university has identified ICT infrastructure and broadband expansion as urgent investment areas. Delayed capital releases, however, are slowing progress on these fronts especially in efforts to support online learning and digital teaching platforms.
Despite fiscal constraints, the university has achieved key infrastructural milestones. Through the federal government’s Renewed Hope Energising Education Programme, UniAbuja now operates a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power plant, which has significantly reduced diesel costs and improved power supply to major facilities.
To enhance global competitiveness, the university has signed international academic partnerships with institutions in China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and across the European Union. New language and cultural programmes in Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese have been introduced to prepare students for global engagement.
Professor Manko, who was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier this year as a stabilising figure, noted that she received no formal handover upon assuming office.
“The university was fragmented, riddled with petitions, factions, and demotivated staff. But we have worked to restore order and institutional integrity,” she said.
Despite the hurdles, she remains confident in the trajectory of the reforms.
“Whether or not I remain in this position, I am proud of the work done so far. UniAbuja is now a place of hope again.”