The federal government has presented operational licenses to 11 newly approved private universities to expand access to quality tertiary education.

The minister of education, Tunji Alausa,

at the presentation of the licences to the new private universities in Abuja on Wednesday, said it was sequel to the approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC),

The newly licenced universities are: New City University, Aiyetoro, Ogun State, Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State, and Kevin Ezeh University, Mgbowo, Enugu State.

Others are Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State, Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State and Abdulrasaq Abubakar Toyin University, Ganmo Kwara State.

Also in the list are Monarch University, Iyesi Ota, Ogun State, Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin, Edo State, Isaac Balami University of Aeronautic and Management, Lagos State, and Eranova University, Kuje, FCT.

Mr Alausa said the approval was in line with the Nigerian education sector renewal initiative designed to restore the glory of Nigeria’s educational system.

“This ceremony is not only a celebration of your achievements, but also a renewed call to action in building a future-ready and globally competitive Nigerian university system,” he said.

He highlighted the urgency of steering Nigeria’s higher education toward priority fields such as STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences.

“Nigeria has more than enough social science graduates. What we need now are problem-solvers graduates with life skills who can drive industries, build infrastructure, and improve lives.

“We must acknowledge an uncomfortable truth that, while we now have 159 licensed private universities, too many are failing to meet the quality standards Nigeria demands,” he said.

Mr Alausa added that licensing must not be symbolic but must be impactful.

To address this, he said NUC is undertaking a comprehensive review of quality assurance mechanisms aimed at ensuring that all licensed institutions, whether public or private, serve as genuine centres of learning, innovation, and research.

He also encouraged private universities to collaborate with one another and form international affiliations, noting Nigeria’s potential as a hub for global education partnerships.

The minister further revealed that, following presidential directives, several universities that had awaited approval for over four years finally received licenses after a thorough evaluation process completed within three years.

“Private universities must rise to the challenge of delivering high-quality, relevant education that meets the demands of a modern economy.

”With support from regulatory bodies and a renewed commitment to excellence, the newly approved institutions are expected to play a transformative role in shaping the nation’s next generation of leaders and innovators,” he explained.

The NUC executive secretary, Abdullahi Ribadu, highlighted the growing importance of private universities as complementary partners to public institutions, particularly in catering to Nigeria’s youthful population.

Mr Ribadu said since the liberalisation of university education in 1999, private universities had significantly expanded the nation’s academic landscape.

”From just 49 universities in 1999, 23 of which were private, Nigeria now boasts of 298 universities, with 159 (53.3 per cent) being privately owned.

“The catalyst for this expansion is the increased participation of the private sector,” he said.

He explained that the licenses awarded were provisional, valid for three years, during which institutions must meet strict quality benchmarks.

“The provisional status is subject to close monitoring by the NUC, with full licenses to be granted only after a thorough evaluation of each institution’s compliance with regulatory standards,” he said.

To ensure readiness for academic operations, the NU C boss announced that a mandatory resource verification exercise would be conducted for all academic programmes.

Speaking on behalf of the proprietors, Jimoh Ibrahim, proprietor, University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State, called on NUC to remove barriers preventing Nigerian universities from collaborating more actively with global institutions.

Mr Ibrahim emphasised the urgency and significance of fostering international academic partnerships to drive innovation, skills development, and national growth.

Also, Tony Iredia, proprietor, Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin, pleaded with the federal government to ensure that moratorium period is not long.

Mr Iredia also said that Nigerian universities might not be doing well in research as a result of poor communication of research works.

(NAN)