By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has formally issued operational licenses to 11 newly established private universities, reinforcing its drive to broaden access to quality higher education across Nigeria.
During the license presentation ceremony held in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the development followed the recent approval of the institutions by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The newly accredited universities include: 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.
Others are: 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.
Dr. Alausa explained that the initiative aligns with the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, which aims to revamp the country’s educational framework.
“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 emphasized the need to reorient the tertiary education sector toward critical disciplines such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM), noting an oversupply of graduates in the social sciences.
“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 added.
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.
Dr. Alausa also urged private institutions to pursue partnerships with one another and with international academic bodies, leveraging Nigeria’s potential as an education hub in Africa.
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.
Echoing this, 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 are 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 added.
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.
Ibrahim stressed the importance of cross-border partnerships in driving innovation and national development.
Also speaking, 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.
