The Federal Government has increased the application processing fee for new private universities from ₦5 million to ₦25 million, the National Universities Commission (NUC) announced on Monday.
In a memo signed by NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, the commission said the fee hike aims to reposition private universities for improved educational standards and better coordination of the private university education sub-sector in Nigeria.
The memo also noted that the guidelines for establishing private universities had been reviewed to ensure that new institutions meet 21st-century educational challenges.
As part of the reforms, the NUC has suspended inactive applications, including those that have shown no progress for over two years, as well as those at the Letter of Intent stage.
Additionally, the application form fee has been increased from ₦1 million to ₦5 million, while applicants who have already purchased forms must pay the new ₦25 million processing fee within 30 working days or risk forfeiting their applications.
The new policy is expected to impact prospective university promoters, sparking debate on access to private university education in NigeriaNigeria.
