Nigerian Government Suspends Approval of New Private Universities
The Nigerian government has temporarily suspended applications for the establishment of new private universities, citing the need for a comprehensive review of the regulatory guidelines. The suspension, announced by the National Universities Commission (NUC), will last for one year starting from February 10, 2025. The suspension will affect new submissions, inactive applications, and proposals that have not progressed beyond the letter of intent stage. However, active pending applications will still be reviewed for potential approval.
In addition, the NUC has significantly increased application and processing fees. The application fee has been raised from N1 million to N5 million, while the processing fee has been raised from N5 million to N25 million. Applicants who have already purchased forms will need to pay the revised processing fee within 30 working days or risk forfeiting their applications.
This move comes in the context of a sharp increase in private universities in Nigeria, with the number growing from just 3 in 1999 to 149 by 2024. Despite this growth, public universities still admit about 90% of tertiary education applicants in the country.