Date: 2016-11-03

THE Federal Government yesterday gave its nod to the take-off of eight new private universities in Nigeria. This was sequel to a memo approved by the National Universities Commission, NUC, and presented to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, by the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja, yesterday.

With this development, the number of universities in Nigeria has increased from 143 to 151, while the number of private universities has risen to 69 from 61.

The eight universities and their promoters include Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos, owned by Deeper Christian Life Ministry; Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River, engineered by the Clitter House Nigeria Limited; Clifford University, Owerrinta, Abia, owned by Seventh Day Adventist Church; Coal City University, Enugu, operated by African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education, Enugu; Crown-Hill University, Eiyenkorin, Kwara, floated by Modern Morgy and Sons Limited; Dominican University, Ibadan, the brainchild of Order of Preachers, Nigerian Dominican Community; Kola Daisi University, Ibadan came from Kola Daisi Foundation and Legacy University, Okija, an idea of The Good Idea Education Foundation.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka, said the reason for the approval was to give the teeming youths the opportunity to acquire university education Anwuka, who was joined by his counterparts in Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: "The Ministry of Education submitted a memo to Council this morning seeking approval for eight private universities as recommended by NUC after very serious comprehensive and exhaustive compliance to the conditions that warrant such approval.

Anwuka said the new universities would be supervised by the older universities within their zone for a period of three years to assist them put necessary infrastructure in place, adding that the supervision was in sync with the law.

He said: "While approving these universities for licensing provisionally for three years, the Universities should be mentored by some existing older Universities in Nigeria. And those will include: Anchor University will be mentored by University of Lagos, Akoka; Arthur Jarvis University will be mentored by University of Calabar; Cliffored will be mentored by University of Agriculture, Umudike; Coal City University will be mentored by University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

"Crown-Hill University will be mentored by University of Ilorin. Dominican University will be mentored by University of Ibadan. Kola Daisi University will mentored by University of Ibadan. Legacy University will be mentored by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka."