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FG APPROVES 11 PRIVATE VARSITIES, SUSPENDS NEW APPLICATIONS
The Federal Government on Monday approved provisional licences for 11 new private universities nationwide, further expanding Nigeria’s higher education sector.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this to State House Correspondents after the 24th Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. Alausa said,
“Council approved the issuance of provisional licences to 11 new private universities. Several of these applications have been pending for well over three and a half years, but President Bola Tinubu…mandated that we quickly review those applications that are fully completed, and we should bring them to council.”
The minister gave the names of the approved universities as New City University, Ayetoro, Ogun State; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Eranova University, Mabushi, FCT and Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun Annex.
Others are Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara State, Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State and Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun State.
Others are Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City, Edo State; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos and Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State.
The minister explained that the 11 universities fulfilled the National Universities Commission’s 13-step process.
Addresses compliance issues Alausa also explained that the Federal Government is suspending the issuance of licences to new private universities.
Nonetheless, the moratorium does not affect applicants far into the approval process.
He added that applicants who have reached the advanced stages will continue to be reviewed and approved if they meet the necessary requirements.
“We’ve also issued a moratorium on issuance of licences to new private universities. The ones approved today have reached a finalisation stage.
“But we’ve decided to review the ones that have gone through the second visit, and if they meet all their requirements, we’ll go ahead and approve them. So there are still some more that will be coming to FEC for approval.
“They’ve invested money. We’re very mindful of those investments. We will continue to process those that meet the requirements of the National University Commission. So we want that to be clear,” he stated.
