Nigeria’s higher education sector has grown with the federal government’s approval of 11 new private universities, bringing the total number of institutions to 295.

The new universities were awarded provisional licenses by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that the new institutions should focus on driving innovation, developing talent, and maintaining global relevance.

The universities include City University in Ayetoro, Ogun; University of Fortune in Igbotako, Ondo; Eranova University; Minaret University in Ikirun, Osun; Abubakar Toyin University in Oke-Agba, Kwara; Lens University in Ilemona, Kwara; Monarch University in Iyesi-Ota, Ogun; Southern Atlantic University in Uyo, Akwa Ibom; Tonnie Iredia University of Communication in Benin City; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management in Lagos; and Kevin Eze University in Mgbowo, Enugu.

In his address, Dr. Alausa stressed that Nigeria’s development depends on graduates with practical skills and technical expertise.
“We have more than enough social science graduates, with due respect,” he said, adding that what the country needs are “problem solvers – nurses, engineers, pharmacists – capable of powering industries and building infrastructure.”

The Minister challenged the new universities to align with national priorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as vocational education, and to foster strategic partnerships both locally and globally.

He also stressed the need for these institutions to prioritize quality over quantity, noting that the future of higher education lies in collaboration beyond borders.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the expansion as a significant step toward improving access to tertiary education. NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu highlighted that the universities had been granted provisional status and urged them to comply with all regulatory standards.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, advised the new institutions to uphold academic integrity and avoid introducing religious ideologies into their curricula. With the addition of these 11 universities, Nigeria now has 159 private institutions, reflecting a shift toward a more diversified, skills-oriented higher education system.