The Senate is examining a bill to establish the Federal University of Science and Technology, Korokorosei, in Bayelsa State, amid calls for greater investment in science education to address Nigeria’s shortage of skilled professionals.
The proposal was considered on Thursday at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, chaired by Senator Muntari Dandutse.
Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Ibrahim Mustapha, who declared the hearing open on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the proposed institution must deliver measurable academic, technological and economic benefits.
He urged lawmakers to look beyond establishing another university and focus on its capacity to translate research into industrial production, reduce dependence on imported technology and equip young Nigerians with globally competitive skills.
Mustapha identified clean energy, environmental protection, agriculture and fisheries as areas where the university could support development, particularly in the Niger Delta.
He also stressed that expanding access to higher education must be matched by sustainable funding, functional infrastructure and strong academic standards.
“The Niger Delta’s greatest resource is its human potential,” he said, highlighting the institution’s potential to develop solutions to environmental problems and the needs of riverine communities.
Committee chairman Dandutse said lawmakers would scrutinise the proposed university’s governance, funding arrangements, academic programmes, staffing and infrastructure requirements.
He said the committee would also assess its long-term viability and compliance with existing laws governing tertiary education.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Benson Konbowei, said the institution would help close manpower gaps in science, technology and other specialised fields.
He argued that Nigeria needed to train more professionals locally rather than depend on foreign sources for critical technological and industrial expertise.
Konbowei added that locating the university in the Niger Delta would widen access to science-based courses and develop skills relevant to the region and the national economy.
Representing Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, the governor’s technical adviser, Timidi Wariowei, said existing facilities in Korokorosei, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, could support the proposed project.
He listed school buildings, a health facility, hotels and a landing jetty among the available infrastructure, adding that road construction towards the community was ongoing.
Wariowei also said the state government had established technical colleges across its eight local government areas to promote practical science and technology education.
He said the proposed university could provide graduates of the colleges with opportunities for advanced training and specialised studies.
The Senate’s consideration of the bill places funding, infrastructure, academic capacity and long-term sustainability at the centre of deliberations on whether the proposed institution can help close Nigeria’s science and technology skills gap.