National Universities Commission (NUC) has increased the fees required to establish private Universities, raising application costs by over 400 percent .
It disclosed that the development was aimed at strengthening regulation and aligning with evolving educational standards.
This was contained in a statement made available recently by the NUC Executive Secretary, Abdullahi Ribadu, who announced that the price of an application form has been raised from ₦1 million to ₦5 million, while the processing fee has jumped from ₦5 million to ₦25 million
The commission also directed that applicants who had previously purchased the form at the old rate but had not yet paid the processing fee must now comply with the updated ₦25 million charge within 30 working days or risk forfeiting their application.
NUC declared a one-year suspension, starting February 10, 2025, on inactive applications and new submissions for private universities, including private open universities
“The Commission hereby imposes a moratorium for a period of one year on inactive applications for the establishment of new private universities to enable a comprehensive review of such pending applications,” Ribadu said.
The suspension affects applications that have been inactive for more than two years, as well as those that have only submitted letters of intent under Step 1 of the 14-step approval process .
Pix: Ribadu
Despite the moratorium, Ribadu assured that the commission would continue to process active applications and recommend qualified proposals to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
“For avoidance of doubt, the Commission will continue to process pending active applications and make appropriate recommendations to the Federal Executive Council for approval,” he said…
Full text:
The National Universities Commission is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Education charged with the orderly development of University Education in Nigeria. By virtue of the provisions of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Commission is empowered to provide guidelines for the establishment of private universities in Nigeria.
In exercise of its mandates, the Commission has since 1999 recommended and the Federal Government has approved the establishment of 149 private universities in Nigeria to date.
The Commission, in its efforts at repositioning Private Universities in Nigeria to better meet the needs of the citizenry and for better co-ordination of the development of the Private University Education sub-sector of the Nigerian University System (NUS), has identified the need to review the guidelines for the establishment of private universities. This is to ensure that newly established private universities are positioned to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.
Pursuant to the above and in line with the directive of the Honourable Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission hereby informs Promoters of proposed Private Universities in particular and the general public as follows:
1. The Commission hereby suspends further processing of:
a. All inactive applications including those of private open universities (i.e. those that have not made progress on their applications or made submissions to the Commission for upwards of two years), and
b. Applications at the stage of submission of Letters of Intent only;
2. The Fee for purchase of Application Forms for the Establishment of a Private University is hereby reviewed from One Million (N1,000,000.00) Naira to (Five Million (N5,000,000.00) Naira;
3. The Processing Fee for Application for the Establishment of a Private University is hereby reviewed from Five Million (N5,000,000.00) Naira to Twenty-Five Million (N25,000,000.00) Naira;
4. The NUC will convey the reviewed Processing Fee of Twenty-Five Million (N25,000,000.00) Naira to applicants that have purchased Application Forms only. They are also expected to effect payments within a period of thirty (30) working days or risk forfeiture of their pending applications;
5. The Commission hereby imposes a Moratorium for a period of one year with effect from Monday, 10th February, 2025 on:
a. Inactive applications for the establishment of new private universities to enable the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of such pending applications with a view to determining their viability;
b. Applications on Step 1 of the 14-Step Procedure (i.e. those that have submitted Letters of Intent only), and
c. Acceptance of fresh applications for the establishment of private universities, including private open universities;
6. The Commission is in the process of reviewing other aspects of the Guidelines for the Establishment of Private Universities in Nigeria to ensure that the proposed Universities, when licensed, are positioned to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Details of the review would be communicated to Stakeholders in due course.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission will continue to process pending active applications and make appropriate recommendations to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
For further enquiries, Stakeholders and members of the public are advised to contact:
Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu
Executive Secretary
Author: Maureen Ikpeama