The Federal Government has presented operational licenses to 11 newly approved private universities to expand access to quality tertiary education.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa presented the licences to proprietors of the new private universities in Abuja
Alausa said the approval was in line with the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative designed to restore the glory of Nigeria’s educational system.
He indicated the urgency of steering Nigeria’s higher education toward priority fields such as STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences.
Earlier, the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu highlighted the growing importance of private universities as complementary partners to public institutions, particularly in catering to Nigeria’s youthful population.
Responding on behalf of the universities, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Proprietor, University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State and
Tony Iredia, Proprietor, Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin, urged the NUC to remove barriers preventing Nigerian universities from collaborating more actively with global institutions.
Some of the newly licenced universities are New City University, Aiyetoro, Ogun State, Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State, and Kevin Ezeh University, Mgbowo, Enugu State.
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