The Federal Government has increased the cost of purchasing and processing application forms for the establishment of private universities in Nigeria to ₦30 million.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) announced the new fee structure on Monday, stating that the application form will now cost ₦5 million, while the processing fee has been raised from ₦5 million to ₦25 million.
In addition, the commission imposed a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new private universities, suspending all inactive applications, including those for private open universities.
According to a statement signed by NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, the moratorium applies to applications that have remained stagnant for over two years without any progress or submissions to the commission.
The decision, he explained, aligns with the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which mandates the NUC to regulate private university establishments.
Applicants who have already purchased forms will be notified of the new ₦25 million processing fee and must make payments within 30 working days to avoid forfeiture of their applications.
Prof. Ribadu emphasized that the move aims to reposition private universities to better serve Nigeria’s educational needs and ensure new institutions are adequately equipped to meet 21st-century challenges.
The one-year suspension applies to:
Inactive applications under review.
Applications still at Step 1 of the 14-step process (those that have submitted only Letters of Intent).
New applications for private universities, including private open universities.
Meanwhile, the NUC is also reviewing broader guidelines for private university establishment, with further details to be communicated to stakeholders.
However, the commission assured that active pending applications would still be processed and forwarded to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
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