Nigeria’s tertiary education has received a major boost as the federal authorities sanctioned nine new private universities. The announcement came after a State House briefing conducted by Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, soon after the Federal Executive Council convened under President Bola Tinubu.
The approved universities span various regions, including Kaduna, Abuja, Kwara, Imo, Jigawa, Niger, Lagos, and Ogun States. They are Tazkiyah University, Leadership University, Jimoh Babalola University, Bridget University, Greenland University, JEFAP University, Azione Verde University, Unique Open University, and American Open University.
Dr. Alausa highlighted that this batch of approvals followed strict new guidelines. He noted, “Due to inefficiencies within the NUC, approvals were delayed. We have since introduced reforms to streamline these processes, and today’s approvals are a result of clearing this backlog.” Of hundreds of pending applications inherited by the Tinubu administration, only a fraction made it through the new regulatory filter.
Many of these institutions had been waiting years for accreditation, with their promoters having already invested heavily in physical infrastructure and educational resources. Furthermore, the Education Ministry has now paused acceptance of new applications for tertiary institutions, except those that can meet elevated standards.
This sweeping reform signals a push toward quality assurance and responsible expansion of tertiary education opportunities across Nigeria.