The National Universities Commission (NUC) has finally presented provisional licences to the 37 new private universities approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on May 15, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, who presented the licences to the universities on Friday, said the number of private universities in the country is now 147.
Rasheed added that Nigeria now has 264 universities, noting that investment in tertiary education was a pre-requisite for human capital development in the country.
He said access to university education remained a challenge due to the high demand and increasing number of secondary school graduates.
”The Nigerian statistics of high demand of tertiary education is grossly inadequate. Statistics put the number of enrollment in tertiary institutions at 2.23 million which is about 12 per cent of the total population of 220 million,” he said.
Rasheed charged the proprietors of the newly established universities to ensure that the motive for creating the universities were not for money but for a higher and noble goal.
”In establishing universities, you don’t expect to get financial rewards. If your main motive is to make money, then you are in a wrong place. You are here to pay back to humanity.
”The establishment of private universities is in dire need of passion from people, so that passion should drive you,” he added.
In a good will message, the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-shaq Oloyede urged the universities proprietors to start on a good note while following procedures and standards.
Oloyede also urged them never to outsource their admissions but follow the admission procedures.
Former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, said “The 264 universities in Nigeria is encouraging but we need to improve on the quality of what we teach the students in our university.
”We should focus more on producing potential employers not employees and producers rather than potential job seekers.
”Education is no more about lecturers driving you, it so no more about garbage in and garbage out, our students must tackle complex problems which will enable them to be self-reliant.”
Pantami called for the need to review the entire curriculum of university that would focus on ICT.
Former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke, All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, former Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, among others graced the occasion.
Distribution of the 37 varsities by states, zones
An analysis by Dateline Nigeria shows that the North Central zone tops the list with 10 institutions. In the zone, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has six namely: Canadian University of Nigeria, FCT; Miva Open University, FCT; Cosmopolitan University, FCT; Amaj University, FCT; Prime University, FCT and Al-Muhibbah Open University, FCT.
The zone also four others, with one each in Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi states. They are Muhammad Kamalu-Deen University, Kwara State; El-Amin University, Niger State; Phoenix University, Nasarawa State and Al-Bayan University, Kogi State.
The South West zone has nine institutions, with Ogun State having four, namely: Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State; Gerar University of Medical Sciences, Ogun State; Mercy Medical University, Ogun State and Vision University, Ogun State.
Also in the zone, Ekiti State has two, i.e. Hillside University of Science and Technology, Ekiti State and Venite University, Ekiti State. There were also one each in Ondo, Oyo and Lagos states. They are Sam Maris University, Ondo State; West Midland Open University, Oyo State and Nigerian University of Technology and Management, Lagos State.
The North West has seven institutions consisting of two each in Kano and Kaduna states, and one each in Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto states. They are: Azman University, Kano State; Elrazi University of Medical Sciences, Kano State; Franco British International University, Kaduna State; College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna State; Rayhaan University, Kebbi State; Huda University, Zamfara State and Iconic Open University, Sokoto State.
The South East has six institutions, with two each in Enugu, Abia and Anambra states. They are Maduka University, Enugu State; Peaceland University, Enugu State; Lux Mundi University, Abia State; Amadeus University, Abia State; University of the Niger, Anambra State and Shanahan University, Anambra State.
The South South zone has four institutions, with two in Cross River State and one each in Bayelsa and Rivers states. They are: British Canadian University, Cross River State; Duke Medical University, Cross River State; Hensard University, Bayelsa State and Wigwe University, Rivers State.
The North East zone has only the Jewel University, Gombe, on the list.
Dateline Nigeria also reports that FCT as well as 21 of 36 Nigerian states benefitted in the latest exercise. Nine northern states of Plateau, Benue, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina and six southern Osun, Ebonyi, Imo, Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states had no new private universities to their names.
