Few issues pose as grave a threat to Nigeria’s long-term stability and prosperity as the deepening crisis in its education sector. According to UNESCO, as of 2023, Nigeria accounts for over 20 million out-of-school children, the highest number globally. Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics reports that more than 53 percent of young Nigerians aged 15–24 are either unemployed or underemployed, with many graduates lacking the skills required by employers. This dual crisis, a failure to provide basic education for millions and a labour market flooded with credentialed but ill-equipped job seekers, exposes a system in urgent need of structural overhaul. Yet rather than confront these systemic deficiencies, lawmakers continue to propose the establishment of new universities across senatorial districts, reinforcing a dangerous illusion that infrastructure expansion equates to progress.