Senate Orders Probe Of Tansian University Over Alleged Regulatory Violations

The Senate has ordered an immediate investigation into the operations and management of Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra State, over allegations of administrative excesses and concerns about the institution’s compliance with the NUC regulatory requirements.

The directive followed a motion raised by Sen. Victor Umeh, who questioned the university’s alleged disregard for established regulatory procedures, particularly in the appointment and dismissal of personnel.

President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, directed the relevant committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the university’s operations and report its findings to the Senate.

Senate President, who harped on the need to strengthen the regulatory authority of the National Universities Commission, NUC, to ensure that both public and private universities operate within the confines of the law, further noted that the National Assembly has an oversight responsibility to support the Commission in enforcing standards across the university system.

The Senate President added that where an institution is found to have violated the law, the National Assembly could recommend appropriate action to the President, including the proscription of such a university.

The investigation comes as the Senate considers an executive bill seeking to repeal the National Universities Commission Act 2026 and establish a more comprehensive legal framework for regulating university education in Nigeria.

The bill, read by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Munguno, seeks to strengthen the NUC’s enforcement powers, update minimum academic standards, improve accreditation processes and ensure that Nigerian universities meet global best practices.

It also proposes appropriate sanctions for regulatory violations and reinforces the Commission’s position as the apex body responsible for academic programme accreditation.

Lawmakers again argued that a stronger regulatory framework is necessary to improve quality assurance, promote research and innovation, and ensure that Nigerian universities remain competitive internationally.

The Senate has referred the investigation into Tansian University to the Senate committee on tertiary education and TETFund, to report back within two weeks as the NUC bill scales second reading.