The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted Provisional Licenses to eleven (11) new private universities across the country.
Delivering licenses to the universities in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa urged them to collaborate with other universities within and outside the country and pay attention to research.
Alausa explained that the country was in dire need of professionals in the field of medicine and other innovative fields, therefore they should focus on areas that are solution driven such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM) in order to move the nation forward.
“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.
“Nigeria has more than enough social science graduates. What we need now are problem-solvers 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.
According to him, licensing institutions should not be a symbolic gesture but a meaningful commitment to academic excellence. To reinforce this, he said the NUC is currently overhauling its quality assurance system to ensure all universities meet minimum standards for teaching, research, and innovation.
He further disclosed that some universities whose applications had been pending for over four years finally received approval, following a detailed review process carried out over the past 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,” he said.
On his part, NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, acknowledged the expanding role of private universities in supplementing the public system and addressing the educational needs of Nigeria’s growing youth population.
Ribadu noted that the liberalisation of university education since 1999 has significantly boosted the sector.
“From just 49 universities in 1999, 23 of which were private, Nigeria now boasts of 298 universities, with 159 (53.3 per cent) being privately owned.
“The catalyst for this expansion is the increased participation of the private sector,” he said.
He clarified that the licenses granted were provisional and valid for an initial period of three years, during which institutions must adhere to strict quality standards. Full accreditation will be considered after comprehensive evaluations by the Commission.
“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.
He also announced that a mandatory resource verification exercise would be conducted to assess the readiness of academic programmes before operations begin.
Speaking on behalf of the university proprietors, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, founder of the University of Fortune, called on the NUC to ease restrictions that hinder collaboration between Nigerian and international institutions.
Meanwhile, Ace broadcaster, Tony Iredia, Proprietor of Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, appealed to the federal government to ensure that moratorium periods are not unnecessarily extended. He also pointed to poor dissemination of research as a major reason why Nigerian universities lag in research performance.
The newly accredited universities were New City University, Aiyetoro, Ogun State; Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State; Kevin Ezeh University, Mgbowo, Enugu State; Southern Atlantic University, Uyo; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State; and Abdulrasaq Abubakar Toyin University, Ganmo, Kwara State, Monarch University, Iyesi Ota, Ogun State; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin, Edo State; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautic and Management, Lagos State; and Eranova University, Kuje, FCT.
