President Tinubu Approves Establishment Of 11 Private Universities Across Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu has approved provisional licenses for 11 new private universities in Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media & Public Communication, Sunday Dare, Tinubu on his official X page
Dare stated that the institutions were granted the approvals during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on March 3, 2025.
“At today’s FEC meeting, the following private universities were approved: New City University, Ayetoro Ogun State; University of Fortune, igbotako, Ondo State and Eranova University, Mabushi,” Dare announced.
Other approved private universities are:
Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun StateAbubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara State
Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State
Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun State
Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City
Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos
Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State
The approval is part of President Tinubu’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities and infrastructure across Nigeria.
One-year moratorium
This development follows the federal government’s recent announcement of a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new private universities in Nigeria to enhance the quality and sustainability of private universities across the country.
The Honorable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa disclosed that the one-year moratorium, which could be extended if necessary, is expected to provide the government with sufficient time to implement critical reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s higher education system.
Dr. Alausa explained that while Nigeria has 129 federal and state universities and 149 private universities, private institutions, despite making up over 50% of the total universities, account for less than 10% of overall university admissions.
This imbalance, he noted, necessitates stricter regulation to ensure private universities maintain high academic standards and contribute meaningfully to national development.
To address these concerns, the Minister emphasized that private universities must build adequate capacity before seeking operational approval.
He stated that new regulations would be introduced to ensure that only financially and academically capable institutions are granted licenses.
As part of the moratorium’s implementation, Dr. Alausa directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to review all pending applications for new private universities to determine their viability and ensure that the proposed institutions align with 21st-century education demands and national priorities.
The National Universities Commission released a comprehensive fourteen-step procedure for establishing private universities in Nigeria to ensure that new institutions meet the necessary academic and infrastructural standards before receiving operational approval.
The process begins with a formal application stating the intent to establish a university, followed by an interview of prospective proprietors and the collection and submission of application forms along with relevant documents.
These documents undergo intensive review and analysis by experts in NUC departments, after which proprietors are required to revise them based on feedback from the Directorate of Establishment of Private Universities (DEPU).
Subsequent steps include an interactive meeting between DEPU and the proposed university, a first site assessment visit, finalization of documents, and a second site assessment visit. Additionally, security screening of proprietors and the Board of Trustees is conducted before approvals are granted.
The approval process involves three levels: NUC Management, the NUC Board, and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
