The National Universities Commission Policy Development and Advisory Committee (NUC-PDAC), last Wednesday, 25th February 2026, met with the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, FCVSN, to brief him on the progress made on its task to develop a Blueprint (2025–2030) which is expected to guide the next phase of the development of not only the NUC but also the Nigerian University System (NUS).
Welcoming members to the meeting, the Director, Special Projects, Dr Joshua Atah, recalled that the PDAC was inaugurated on 7th October 2025 with the mandate to drive the development of forward-looking policies and implementation strategies aimed at enhancing coordination of strategic initiatives and ensuring the effective delivery of projects across the NUS.
Dr Atah recalled the ES’s careful and deliberate effort in constituting the Committee, noting that the selection of members reflected the importance of the assignment and the desire to pool the requisite expertise from across the NUS.
Following the rigorous selection process, an 18-member committee was constituted, 13 of whom are external to the NUC and five drawn from within the Commission. To ensure adherence to the Committee’s timelines, meetings had been held virtually since the inaugural meeting, which took place in October 2025.
Briefing the Executive Secretary on the Committee’s progress, the Chairman, Professor Emeritus Olufemi Bamiro, thanked him for the confidence reposed in the team and for entrusting them with such an important assignment.
He described the Committee and the assignment as one of the most engaging teams and tasks he had been involved in and commended members for their commitment and intellectual contributions in the course of executing their task.
The Chairman recalled that the Committee was given 12 Terms of Reference, which, at inception, appeared quite daunting. However, with members’ dedication, it had proven to be much easier than anticipated.
To effectively execute its assignment, the Committee members carefully reviewed the NUC Blueprint 1.0 (2018–2023) and other relevant strategic documents, which served as key reference materials for developing the proposed NUC Blueprint 2.0 (2026–2030).
Subsequently, members were strategically divided into 12 sub-committees based on their areas of expertise to effectively address the various aspects of the assignment and the 13 strategic objectives of the Blueprint 2.0.
These objectives include expanding access to university education; curriculum engineering; strengthening staffing and teacher quality; producing nationally relevant and globally competitive graduates; providing leadership in skills development and mentorship; improving research productivity, efficiency and effectiveness; enhancing governance; tackling academic corruption; promoting ICT-driven universities; ensuring sustainable funding; strengthening the regulatory capacity of the NUC; addressing gender issues; and promoting research and development initiatives, including web-based knowledge platforms.
Emeritus Professor Bamiro informed the Executive Secretary that the Committee had so far produced a draft of Blueprint 2.0. The Committee has also proposed a timeline which made provision for a comprehensive review of the draft Blueprint 2.0 by diverse stakeholders, including Vice-Chancellors, the National Economic Summit Group (NESG), as well as the university-based unions, before a review and final adoption by the Management of the NUC.
In his remarks, Professor Ribadu expressed enthusiasm about the progress made by the Committee, noting that the time taken to carefully reconstitute the Committee had been worthwhile.
He observed that the quality of the presentation already reflected the calibre of the document that the Committee was working towards. He commended members for the dedication demonstrated in adhering to the Committee’s strict timelines, despite their numerous responsibilities.
The Executive Secretary further noted that the proposed public unveiling of the Blueprint coincides with the meeting of the Commission’s Board and advised that the date should not be changed. According to him, the Commission would, at the appropriate time, determine who would chair the unveiling; whether the Vice-President or the Honourable Minister of Education.
He emphasised that the Blueprint represents a rebirth for the Commission and the NUS, and should therefore be marked with a significant event.
He also assured members of Management’s commitment to thoroughly reviewing the draft Blueprint during a dedicated retreat to ensure that the document receives the critical attention it deserves.
The Executive Secretary stated that he was encouraged by the outcomes already emerging from the Committee’s work and concluded by thanking members for their commitment and service to the NUS and to humanity, particularly in light of their demanding schedules and the ongoing Ramadan fast.
The meeting reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a comprehensive and forward-looking Blueprint 2.0. With inputs from experts, key stakeholders, and the Executive Secretary, the document is expected to serve as a transformative guide for the Nigerian University System for the period 2026 to 2030.
In a vote of thanks, the Acting Director, Executive Secretary’s Office (DESO), Mr Adewale Bakare, expressed appreciation to the members for accepting to serve on the Committee and for bringing their expertise to bear on the assignment. He expressed optimism that the Committee’s work would significantly strengthen policy development and implementation within the Nigerian University System.
Other PDAC members present at the meeting included the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas; Professor Dickson Musa Achimugu; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Edo State University, Iyamho, Professor Benjamin Ugheoke, Professor Suleiman Dangana Abdul, Professor Gloria Chukwudebe, Professor Emenike Ejiogu, Professor Josephine Agbonika, SAN, Mr Kenneth Uwah, who serves as Member/Secretary of the Committee; and members of the PDAC Secretariat, Mr Nehemiah Dauda, Ms Yvonne Orekyeh and Mrs Victoria Ikani.
Also present at the meeting were the NUC Directors of Research, Innovation and Information Technology (DRIIT), Mal. Mohammed Lawan Faruk; Students (DoS), Dr Chinelo Nwosu; as well as the Director of Public Affairs (DPA), represented by the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Mrs Franca Chukwonwo.