FG flags off landmark hostel projects at LASU, YABATECH

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Thursday flagged off major hostel development projects at Lagos State University and Yaba College of Technology, in what officials described as a significant push to address student accommodation shortages and improve welfare across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

The groundbreaking ceremonies, held in Lagos, form part of wider infrastructure reforms supported by the Federal Government through intervention frameworks linked to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

At LASU, Alausa joined Vice-Chancellor Ibironke Olatunji-Bello and other stakeholders to lay the foundation stone for a new hostel project expected to ease pressure on student housing.

He later proceeded to YABATECH, where he joined Rector Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul for the commencement of a 1,500-bed hostel project being delivered through a public-private partnership involving Integrated Project Ltd.

Speaking at the ceremonies, Alausa said education infrastructure must extend beyond lecture halls to include safe accommodation and reliable utilities.

“A conducive learning environment includes safe accommodation, stable electricity and an ecosystem that allows students to thrive academically and socially,” he said.

He described the projects as strategic national investments aimed at strengthening educational competitiveness and student wellbeing.

Across many Nigerian tertiary institutions, inadequate hostel capacity has pushed students into costly off-campus rentals, often exposing them to long commuting hours, insecurity and poor living conditions.

Alausa also disclosed plans by the Federal Government to provide dedicated power substations for the new hostels to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply upon completion.

“Our objective is stability. Students deserve uninterrupted academic calendars, institutions deserve operational certainty, and Nigeria deserves an education sector capable of competing globally,” he added.

Representatives of Integrated Project Ltd said the developments were designed to deliver more than buildings, describing quality accommodation as central to academic performance, security and emotional wellbeing.

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The Director of the company, Olayinka Kusemiju, said the projects reflected a broader commitment to nation-building through impactful infrastructure delivery.

“For us, this is bigger than bricks and concrete. It is about contributing meaningfully to the future of Nigerian education and ensuring students have access to safe, modern and conducive living spaces,” he said.