The Nigerian Government has presented operational licences to 11 newly approved private universities.
During the presentation ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated that the issuance of licences followed the approval of the National Universities Commission, NUC.
Alausa stated that the approval aligns with the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, designed to restore the glory of the nation’s educational system.
He stressed the urgent need to steer Nigeria’s higher education towards priority fields such as STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences).
Alausa added that licensing must not be symbolic but must lead to a tangible educational impact.
To this end, he revealed that the NUC is undertaking a comprehensive review of quality assurance mechanisms to ensure that all licensed institutions, whether public or private, function as genuine centres of learning, innovation, and research.
He further encouraged private universities to collaborate among themselves and establish international affiliations, citing Nigeria’s potential as a hub for global educational partnerships.
The minister disclosed that, following presidential directives, several universities that had awaited approval for over four years were finally granted licenses after a thorough evaluation process concluded within three years.
The NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, underscored the growing importance of private universities as complementary partners to public institutions, especially in serving Nigeria’s youthful population.
Ribadu noted that since the liberalization of university education in 1999, private institutions have significantly expanded the nation’s academic landscape.
He explained that the licenses granted are provisional, valid for a period of three years, during which the institutions must meet rigorous quality benchmarks.
“The provisional status is subject to close monitoring by the NUC, with full licenses to be granted only after a thorough evaluation of each institution’s compliance with regulatory standards,” he said.
To ensure readiness for academic operations, the NUC boss announced that a mandatory resource verification exercise would be conducted for all academic programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the proprietors, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, proprietor of University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State, urged the NUC to eliminate barriers that hinder Nigerian universities from engaging more actively with global institutions.
Ibrahim emphasized the urgency of fostering international academic partnerships to advance innovation, skills development, and national growth.
The newly licensed universities include Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; University of Fortune, Igbotako, New City University, Aiyetoro, Ogun State; Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State; Kevin Ezeh University, Mgbowo, Enugu State; Ondo State; Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State.
Others are Monarch University, Iyesi Ota, Ogun State; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin, Edo State; Abdulrasaq Abubakar Toyin University, Ganmo, Kwara State; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautic and Management, Lagos State; and Eranova University, Kuje, FCT.
