The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Act establishing Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, with the aim of redesignating it as a conventional federal university.
The proposed amendment would formally strip the institution of its current status as a specialised university of technology, thereby allowing it to offer a broader array of academic programmes across disciplines such as humanities, law, and medicine.
Leading the debate at plenary, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Shehu Buba (APC–Bauchi), argued that the change was long overdue, noting that while ATBU was established in 1980 as one of Nigeria’s pioneer universities of technology, its academic offerings have since expanded beyond the technological focus originally envisioned.
“The university now runs programmes in agriculture, education, management sciences, and environmental design,” Buba noted.
“However, its enabling law still limits its operations to technological studies. This bill seeks to align the legal framework with the university’s current reality and future aspirations.”
Buba stated that the objectives of the bill include redesignating ATBU as a conventional university, enhancing its ability to conduct research and offer courses across a wide range of disciplines, improving accreditation and collaboration prospects, and expanding access to higher education—particularly in the North-East.
He also clarified that the proposed amendment would not impose any financial burden on the government, and urged fellow lawmakers to support the legislation, describing it as “a necessary rationalisation, not a radical innovation.”
Several senators rose in support of the bill, lauding its potential impact on educational development.
Senator Ali Ndume (APC–Borno) called the amendment timely, noting that it would enhance the university’s academic capacity without the need to create a new institution.
Senator Suleiman Kawu (APC–Kano South) echoed this sentiment, emphasising that it aligned with the Federal Government’s policy to strengthen existing universities rather than proliferate new ones.
Senator Diket Plang (APC–Plateau Central), an alumnus of ATBU, offered enthusiastic support, revealing that the university’s alumni association was firmly behind the proposal.
He highlighted that the amendment would open opportunities for students in the region to pursue degrees in fields such as law and the humanities.
However, some lawmakers expressed reservations.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC–Kebbi) questioned the need to alter the institution’s name, arguing that its current designation as a university of technology had not prevented it from running non-technical programmes.
He cautioned against what he termed unnecessary renaming, advocating for the preservation of specialised institutions to meet future technological needs.
Senator Binos Yero (PDP–Adamawa) proposed a more moderate approach, suggesting the enabling Act be amended to broaden the university’s scope without changing its name.
He cited other universities of technology that offer diverse academic programmes while maintaining their original identities.
Senator Anthony Ani (APC–Ebonyi) supported the bill as a pragmatic step, pointing out that several other specialised institutions had already evolved into multi-disciplinary universities in practice, even if their names had not changed.
Following the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the sponsor and contributing lawmakers for their thoughtful engagement.
He thereafter referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, directing it to conduct further legislative scrutiny and report back within four weeks.
