FG Approves 2 More Private Universities, Total Reaches 149

• The federal government approves the establishment of two new private universities, increasing Nigeria’s total to 149 universities
• Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stresses the importance of skills development and entrepreneurship in the newly approved institutions

The federal government has sanctioned the establishment of two additional private universities in Nigeria, bringing the nation’s total count to 149 universities.

This decision elevates Nigeria’s overall university count to 274, comprising 149 private, 63 state, and 62 federal universities.

The newly approved institutions are Lighthouse University in Evbuobanosa, Edo state, and the African School of Economics, located in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

During the presentation of provisional licenses to these universities in Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, disclosed that the approvals were granted at the Federal Executive Council meeting on December 13, 2023.

Mamman urged the university proprietors to prioritize skills development and entrepreneurship, aligning with the government’s current agenda.

He emphasized that substantive licenses would be issued after three years if the universities meet quality assurance requirements during probation. However, failure to meet these standards could result in the withdrawal of the licenses.

Highlighting projections of Nigeria’s population reaching 400 million by 2050, Mamman stressed the need for urgent preparations to meet the educational demands of the anticipated surge.

Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, underscored the distinctive contributions of private universities to the nation’s higher education landscape.

Maiyaki noted the NUC’s support for innovative initiatives in these institutions and emphasized the commission’s commitment to aligning curricula with global standards.

He encouraged the adherence to the code of governance for private universities, emphasizing that the venture should prioritize social service over profit, reiterating that any infractions during the probationary period could lead to the withdrawal of provisional licenses.