The Federal Government has approved the establishment of nine new private universities as part of efforts to expand access to tertiary education across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the approval on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which was presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The newly licensed institutions are:
Tazkiyah University, Kaduna State
Leadership University, Abuja
Jimoh Babalola University, Kwara State
Bridget University, Mbaise, Imo State
Greenland University, Jigawa State
JEFAP University, Niger State
Azione Verde University, Imo State
Unique Open University, Lagos State
American Open University, Ogun State
Dr. Alausa noted that the current administration inherited a backlog of 551 pending applications for the establishment of tertiary institutions.
These were subjected to a more rigorous review process, which trimmed the number down to 79 active applications, out of which nine were approved.
“Due to inefficiencies within the National Universities Commission (NUC), approvals were delayed,” the minister explained.
“We have since introduced reforms to streamline these processes, and today’s approvals reflect our commitment to clearing the backlog and enhancing access to higher education.”
He added that the approvals were granted based on compliance with stricter guidelines designed to ensure quality and sustainability.
DAILY GAZETTE recall that the Federal Government had earlier placed a moratorium on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, citing concerns over funding and management.
