Date: 2021-02-04

President Muhammadu Buhari currently presiding over the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting of the year 2021. [PHOTO CREDIT: @BashirAhmaad] President Muhammadu Buhari currently presiding over the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting of the year 2021. [PHOTO CREDIT: @BashirAhmaad]

The approval of the 20 new private universities brings to 99 of such institutions in the country.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the establishment of 20 new private universities in Nigeria.

The approval followed a memo presented by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, during the weekly meeting of the Council on Wednesday.

The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Briefing journalists at the State House on the outcome of the meeting, Mr Adamu said the approved universities will get their provisional licences from the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He gave the names of the approved institutions as Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State; Thomas Adewumi University, Oko-Irese, Kwara State; Maranathan University, Mgbidi, Imo State; Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State, and Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.

Others are Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo State; Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State; Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo State; NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna State and Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State.

Also approved are James Hope University, Lagos, Lagos State; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State; Capital City University, Kano, Kano State; Ahman Pategi University, Pategi, Kwara State, and the University of Offa, Offa, Kwara State.

Others are Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa State, Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State; Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja; Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa State and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State.

The minister, said the 20 new private universities are to be given provisional licences to run for three years "while the ministry monitors and evaluates their growth".

This brings the total number of private universities in the country to 99.