FG breaks ground on 1,500-bed hostel project at LASU

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving student welfare and infrastructure with the groundbreaking of a 1,500-bed hostel at Lagos State University (LASU).

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made this known on Friday during a ceremony at the institution’s Ojo campus.

Alausa said the project, valued at about ₦4 billion, is being delivered through a Public-Private Partnership involving the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and private investors.

He explained that the initiative forms part of broader reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at repositioning the education sector and improving access to quality learning environments.

Describing Nigerian youths as the nation’s future, the minister stressed that education goes beyond classroom teaching to include infrastructure, welfare, and a conducive environment for learning.

He disclosed that TETFund plans to spend about ₦100 billion in 2026 on hostel construction across 50 tertiary institutions, alongside an additional ₦96 billion for similar projects nationwide.

He added that ₦60 billion would be invested in rehabilitating medical schools, while ₦70 billion would go into upgrading engineering workshops and laboratories.

Alausa further highlighted ongoing interventions such as mini-grid power projects, mobility schemes, and upgrades to hostels, classrooms, laboratories, and workshops.

Speaking on LASU specifically, he noted that the new hostel would include modern facilities such as a gym, library, canteen, and recreational areas. The project, he said, is expected to ease accommodation challenges at the university, which has a student population of about 84,000 but only 7,000 available bed spaces.

He also announced plans to construct an 11-megawatt independent power plant at the Ojo campus and a four-megawatt facility at its Epe campus, alongside a 3,000-seat auditorium and a new Faculty of Engineering building.

The minister urged students to maintain a positive outlook about the country, warning that negative narratives could discourage investment. He encouraged young people to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria.

In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, described the project as a major milestone in the university’s development. She said the hostel would significantly improve students’ living conditions and enhance academic performance.

Olatunji-Bello also commended TETFund and private partners for their support and called for timely completion of the project.