The Nigerian government has approved the establishment of nine new private universities in the country.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the approval on Wednesday after a Federal Executive Council meeting led by President Bola Tinubu.
The newly approved institutions are:
1. Tazkiyah University, Kaduna State
2. Leadership University, Abuja
3. Jimoh Babalola University, Kwara State
4. Bridget University, Mbaise, Imo State
5. Greenland University, Jigawa State
6. JEFAP University, Niger State
7. Azione Verde University, Imo State
8. Unique Open University, Lagos State
9. American Open University, Ogun State
Alausa explained that the government inherited a backlog of 551 requests for new tertiary institutions, which were reduced to 79 after the application of stricter guidelines.
He said many of the newly approved universities had been awaiting accreditation for over six years due to what he described as “inefficiencies within the NUC.”
He added, “We have since introduced reforms to streamline these processes, and today’s approvals are a result of clearing this backlog.”
The minister also announced a moratorium on new applications for private tertiary institutions that do not meet the government’s new operational standards.
