The Federal Government has raised the processing fee for the establishment of new private universities in Nigeria from N5 million to N25 million, according to a memo issued on Monday by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu.
The new fee structure is part of the NUC’s efforts to reposition private universities in Nigeria to meet the needs of the 21st century, ensure better regulation, and enhance the development of the private university sub-sector within the Nigerian University System.
In the memo, the NUC explained that the hike is aimed at ensuring that promoters of new private universities have the capacity to deliver high-quality education. The commission highlighted the need to review its guidelines for the establishment of private universities to reflect modern challenges and global standards.
“This is to ensure that newly established private universities are positioned to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Pursuant to the above and in line with the directive of the Honourable Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission hereby informs Promoters of proposed Private Universities in particular and the general public as follows,” the memo read.
The NUC also announced the suspension of inactive applications for new private universities, particularly those that have not made progress in their application process for over two years.
According to the commission, the new fees and procedures are as follows:
- Application Form Fee: Increased from N1 million to N5 million
- Processing Fee for Application: Increased from N5 million to N25 million
The memo further stated that only applicants who have purchased application forms and are at an advanced stage of the process will be notified of the new processing fee. They are required to pay the updated fee within 30 working days, failing which their pending applications may be forfeited.
This significant fee increase is expected to reshape the private university landscape in Nigeria, potentially deterring smaller promoters while encouraging only well-funded initiatives. The move may be seen as a way to streamline the number of new private universities and ensure that only institutions with adequate financial resources can proceed.
