FG approves Abacha private university, 19 others

The Federal Government of Nigeria has granted licences to 20 new private universities to operate in the country, including Maryam Abacha’s private university.

This decision was taken at the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the President Muhammadu Buhari. The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

The minister said the approved universities would get their provisional licences from the National Universities Commission.

He said they will operate with the provisional licences “for the next three years while monitoring and evaluation will go on.”

A breakdown of the new private universities on geopolitical zone basis shows that nine of them are located in North Central; three in South South; two in South East; five in North West and one in South West.

The new universities are Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State; Thomas Adewumi University, Oko-Irese, Kwara State; Maranathan University, Mgbidi, Imo State; Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State; and Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.

Others are Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo State; Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State; Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo State; NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna State; and Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State.

They also include James Hope University, Lagos, Lagos State; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State; Capital City University, Kano, Kano State; Ahman Pategi University, Pategi, Kwara State; and University of Offa, Offa, Kwara State.

Others are Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa State; Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State; Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja; Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa State; and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State. The approval brought the number of private universities in Nigeria to 99.

The federal government and the state governments were previously the only bodies licensed to operate universities. Recently, licenses have been granted to individuals, corporate bodies and religious bodies to establish private universities in the country.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) is the major accreditation and regulatory body that enforces uniform standard and sets admissions capacity of every university in Nigeria