The National Universities Commission (NUC) has raised the application fee for establishing private universities in Nigeria by over 400%.
In a statement on Monday, NUC Executive Secretary Abdullahi Ribadu said the fee hike aims to improve coordination and ensure that newly established private universities are equipped to meet 21st-century challenges.
Under the new structure, the cost of purchasing an application form for a private university license has increased from ₦1 million to ₦5 million. Additionally, the processing fee has been raised from ₦5 million to ₦25 million.
The Commission stated that applicants who had purchased the application form at the previous rate of ₦1 million but had yet to pay the processing fee would be required to pay the revised ₦25 million fee within 30 working days or risk forfeiting their applications.
Furthermore, the NUC announced the suspension of inactive applications, including those for private open universities that have made no progress or submissions for over two years.
A one-year moratorium, effective February 10, 2025, has been imposed on:
- Inactive applications for new private universities to allow for a comprehensive review of their viability.
- Applications at Step 1 of the 14-step process, where only a letter of intent has been submitted.
- Acceptance of fresh applications for private universities, including private open universities.
However, the Commission clarified that it would continue processing active pending applications and make recommendations to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
Since 1999, the Federal Government has approved the establishment of 149 private universities based on the NUC’s recommendations.
