“Build the floor, not just the ceiling” – by Hakeem Subair

Every time the debate about public universities resurfaces, emotions flare. People imagine campuses as battlegrounds of equality and intellect. But in truth, the real war for Nigeria’s future is being lost—not in the universities—but in the classrooms of basic education.

I agree entirely with the idea that the Federal Government should privatize all public universities. Let every institution chart its own course, raise its own funds, and be judged by its outcomes. Let the government become a regulator, not a proprietor—focusing on what it should have been doing all along: setting standards, enforcing ethics, and protecting rights.

We cannot continue pretending that free and underfunded universities are a sign of social justice. They are not. They are the quiet graveyards of potential—where mediocrity masquerades as equity, and underpaid lecturers fight to survive in systems that no longer inspire learning.
With a credible student loan and scholarship framework, even poor but gifted students can pursue higher education. The rest must not be subsidized by the nation’s collective stagnation.

But let’s not mistake the icing for the cake.
A country’s destiny is not decided by how many people have degrees, but by how many citizens can think, read, calculate, solve, and create.

And that begins—not in the university—but in basic education.

Give a child a strong primary and secondary education, rich in literacy, numeracy, and life skills, and you have already handed them the keys to dignity. Equip their teachers, and you’ve secured the nation’s future.

This is where I stand, both as a citizen and as the CEO of 1 Million Teachers. I see daily how great teachers can transform the trajectory of entire communities—how a single inspired educator can awaken hundreds of young minds to possibility.

If we get this right, higher education becomes a choice, not an escape. A dream for those who can afford it or earn it. And with private universities competing for relevance and results, we will finally see a system that rewards excellence, innovation, and integrity—not bureaucracy and dependence.

So yes, let’s privatize our universities. But let’s nationalize excellence in basic education.
Let the government pour its strength, money, and moral courage into making sure that every child in Nigeria can read, think, and thrive.

If we build the floor strong enough, the ceilings will take care of themselves.

–Subair is the founder of 1million Teachers and Social Entrepreneur