NUC Licenses 37 New Private Universities

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has presented provisional licences to proprietors of 37 newly approved private universities.

The new private universities were approved by the federal executive Council (FEC) on May 15.

Among the proprietors are Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto; Seriake Henry Dickson, ex-governor of Bayelsa; and Donald Duke of Cross River state.

Dickson is the founder of Hensard University in Bayelsa state while Bafarawa floated Amaj University in Kwali, Abuja. Duke also founded Duke Medical University in Calabar.

Abubakar Rasheed, the NUC’s executive secretary, who spoke at the event, said the number of private universities in the country now stands at 147.

He also said the development brings the total number of universities in the country to 264.

Rasheed said the new varsities are imperative due to the high demand and increasing number of secondary school graduates.

“The Nigerian statistics of the high demand for 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.

“In establishing universities, you don’t expect to get financial rewards. If your main motive is to make money, then you are in the wrong place. You are here to pay back to humanity.”

Below are lists of the newly licensed private varsities:

Rayhaan University, Kebbi state

Muhammad Kamalu-Deen University, Kwara state

Sam Maris University, Ondo state

Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state

Lux Mundi University, Abia state

Maduka University, Enugu state

Peaceland University, Enugu state

Amadeus University, Abia state

Vision University, Ogun state

Azman University, Kano state

Huda University, Zamfara state

Franco British International University, Kanuna

Canadian University of Nigeria, FCT

Miva Open University, FCT

Gerar University of Medical Sciences, Ogun state

British Canadian University, Cross River state

Hensard University, Bayelsa state

Phoenix University, Nasarawa State

Wigwe University, Rivers state

Hillside University of Science and Technology, Ekiti state

University of the Niger, Anambra state

Elrazi University of Medical Sciences, Kano state

Venite University, Ekiti state

Shanahan University, Anambra state

Duke Medical University, Cross River state

Mercy Medical University, Osun state

Cosmopolitan University, FCT

Iconic Open University, Sokoto state

West Midland Open University, Oyo State

Amaj University, FCT

Prime University, FCT

El-Amin University, Niger state

College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna state

Jewel University, Gombe

Nigerian University of Technology and Management, Lagos State

Al-Muhibbah Open University, FCT

Al-Bayan University, Kogi state