A new era of transparency and accountability dawns on Nigeria’s educational landscape as the Federal Ministry of Education partners with the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership. This strategic collaboration aims to transform governance within universities, polytechnics, and colleges by launching a digital compliance-tracking platform and establishing the pioneering University Transparency Index.
The Announcement of a Bold Partnership
On May 1, 2025, the Ministry of Education, under the direction of Minister Maruf Olatunji Alausa, announced this landmark initiative to address institutional transparency. The initiative builds on the findings from the University Transparency Survey conducted by the Athena Centre, which highlighted significant gaps in financial disclosure within numerous Nigerian universities.
Unveiling the Digital Compliance Platform
A cornerstone of this effort is the digital compliance-tracking platform. By May 31, 2025, it will publicly display whether institutions comply with the directive to publish financial and institutional data. This tool promises to empower stakeholders like students, parents, and researchers with real-time data access.
Introducing the University Transparency Index
The collaboration also pioneers the University Transparency Index, a unique benchmarking tool that evaluates institutions based on financial openness and governance practices. This index is expected to encourage credible leadership and competitiveness, aligning Nigerian universities for global stature.
A Commitment to Reform and Excellence
Athena Centre’s founder and former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, lauded the Ministry’s openness and transparency initiatives. Chidoka emphasized the Centre’s dedication to bringing rigor and independence to fortifying governance within Nigeria’s higher education system.
Providing Technical Support and Training
In addition to the digital platform and the transparency index, the partnership encompasses providing technical assistance to educational institutions. This includes equipping bursars and ICT heads with training in open financial management practices and adopting international reporting standards.
Overcoming the Legacy of Secrecy
According to the Athena Governance Insight report, previously, universities struggled with a lack of transparency, ignoring FOI requests and failing to publish budgets. This culture hampered access to international research funds. The current initiative seeks to dismantle these barriers and restore Nigeria’s academic credibility on the global stage.
According to Business News Nigeria, this initiative marks a significant step toward building a more accountable and transparent future for Nigeria’s educational sector.
