The federal government has granted operational licenses to eleven new private universities.
Abuja, Nigeria
The National Universities Commission (NUC) recently approved the new universities to expand access to quality tertiary education.
NAN reports that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, presented the licenses to the proprietors on Wednesday in Abuja.
The new institutions are the New City University, Aiyetoro, Ogun State; Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State, and Kevin Ezeh University, Mgbowo, Enugu State.
Others are Southern Atlantic University, Uyo; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State and Abdulrasaq Abubakar Toyin University, Ganmo, Kwara State.
The others in the list include Monarch University, Iyesi Ota, Ogun State; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin, Edo State; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos State, and Eranova University, Kuje, FCT.
The minister said the universities gained approval status because they were in line with the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
Alausa added that the initiative was designed to restore the glory of Nigeria’s educational system.
“This ceremony is not only a celebration of your achievements, but also a renewed call to action in building a future-ready and globally competitive Nigerian university system,” he said.
He highlighted the urgency of steering Nigeria’s higher education toward priority fields such as STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences.
“Nigeria has more than enough social science graduates. What we need now are problem-solving graduates with life skills who can drive industries, build infrastructure, and improve lives.
“We must acknowledge an uncomfortable truth that, while we now have 159 licensed private universities, too many are failing to meet the quality standards Nigeria demands,” he said.
Alausa added that licensing must not be symbolic but must be impactful.
To address this, he said NUC is undertaking a comprehensive review of quality assurance mechanisms aimed at ensuring that all licensed institutions, whether public or private, serve as genuine centres of learning, innovation, and research.
The minister also encouraged Nigeria’s private universities to collaborate and form international affiliations, which he said can translate the country’s potential into a hub for global education partnerships.
The minister further revealed that following presidential directives, several universities that had awaited approval for over four years finally received licenses after a thorough evaluation process completed within three years.
“Private universities must rise to the challenge of delivering high-quality, relevant education that meets the demands of a modern economy.
“With support from regulatory bodies and a renewed commitment to excellence, the newly approved institutions are expected to play a transformative role in shaping the nation’s next generation of leaders and innovators,” Alausa explained.
