In a major move to improve transparency and governance across Nigeria’s higher education system, the Federal Ministry of Education has entered into a strategic partnership with the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership. The collaboration was officially confirmed in a statement released by the Ministry on May 1, 2025.
The initiative marks a significant shift toward data openness and institutional accountability within Nigeria’s public and private universities. According to the Ministry, the partnership will focus on three key areas:
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Launching a Compliance-Tracking Platform that monitors universities’ adherence to mandatory disclosure of financial and institutional data;
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Establishing an Annual University Transparency Index, a pioneering benchmark to measure transparency and governance standards across tertiary institutions;
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Rolling Out Capacity-Building Programmes for university Bursars and ICT Heads to support the implementation of open financial reporting systems.
The Athena Centre, widely recognized for its research on governance and public policy, expressed its commitment to ensuring the success of the reform programme. The Centre’s recent Athena Governance Insight report, which exposed deep-rooted gaps in university transparency practices, has played a pivotal role in informing the new direction.
Speaking on the partnership, Athena Centre Founder and former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, described the initiative as a “landmark opportunity to move from diagnosis to reform.”
“We commend the Ministry for choosing collaboration over defensiveness and transparency over opacity. At Athena, we will work with rigour and independence to ensure that this partnership delivers measurable change,” Chidoka stated.
Under the agreement, Athena will offer technical expertise, facilitate institutional data collection and analysis, and act as a non-partisan convener in driving dialogue and accountability across the sector.
The Centre also pledged to work closely with the National Universities Commission (NUC), university administrators, civil society, and development partners to ensure the reform effort is inclusive, evidence-based, and sustainable.
Observers view the partnership as a bold step by Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, to restore trust in Nigeria’s embattled higher education system. The Ministry’s openness to work with civil society is being praised as a break from past approaches often marked by resistance to scrutiny.
As Nigeria’s universities grapple with rising demands for accountability and efficiency, this collaboration is expected to set a new benchmark for governance reform and public sector transparency in the country.
For more information, contact:
Aliyu Jalal
Media Adviser, Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership
📧 info.centre@athenacentre.org | 📞 +234 803 272 5615
