TheCable

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.”

On his part, David Adejo, permanent secretary of the federal ministry of education, said the approval of the new universities would increase access to university education in the country.

Adejo said the federal government is committed to public-private partnerships, especially in the education sector which gave rise to the new universities.

He added that the government would ensure that quality assurance and minimum standards in the new universities are not compromised.

Below are lists of the newly licensed private varsities:

1. Rayhaan University, Kebbi state
2. Muhammad Kamalu-Deen University, Kwara state
3. Sam Maris University, Ondo state
4. Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state
5. Lux Mundi University, Abia state
6. Maduka University, Enugu state
7. Peaceland University, Enugu state
8. Amadeus University, Abia state
9. Vision University, Ogun state
10. Azman University, Kano state
11. Huda University, Zamfara state
12. Franco British International University, Kanuna
13. Canadian University of Nigeria, FCT
14. Miva Open University, FCT
15. Gerar University of Medical Sciences, Ogun state
16. British Canadian University, Cross River state
17. Hensard University, Bayelsa state
18. Phoenix University, Nasarawa State
19. Wigwe University, Rivers state
20. Hillside University of Science and Technology, Ekiti state
21. University of the Niger, Anambra state
22. Elrazi University of Medical Sciences, Kano state
23. Venite University, Ekiti state
24. Shanahan University, Anambra state
25. Duke Medical University, Cross River state
26. Mercy Medical University, Osun state
27. Cosmopolitan University, FCT
28. Iconic Open University, Sokoto state
29. West Midland Open University, Oyo State
30. Amaj University, FCT
31. Prime University, FCT
32. El-Amin University, Niger state
33. College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna state
34. Jewel University, Gombe
35. Nigerian University of Technology and Management, Lagos State
36. Al-Muhibbah Open University, FCT
37. Al-Bayan University, Kogi state