The Federal Government of Nigeria has significantly ncreased the fees required to establish private universities, raising concerns about the commercialization of higher education in the country.
According to a memo released by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, the revised fees for setting up private universities are as follows:
Application Fee: Increased from ₦1 million to ₦5 million
Processing Fee: Increased from ₦5 million to ₦25 million
Total Cost: Now ₦30 million, up from ₦6 million
The memo, dated February 10, 2025, states that this change takes immediate effect.
In addition to the fee increase, the NUC has placed a one-year moratorium on approving new private universities. This means that no new private university applications will be processed until 2026.
The Commission said the temporary ban is necessary to:
Review pending applications and ensure they meet quality standards.
Assess the performance of existing private universities to determine their viability.
Furthermore, the NUC has suspended inactive applications, including those for private open universities that have not submitted documents for more than two years.
For those who had already begun the application process under the old fees, the NUC has given 30 working days to pay the new ₦25 million processing fee. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of their applications.
The NUC explained that the increase aims to:
Ensure the quality and sustainability of private universities by making sure only serious investors apply. Cover administrative and regulatory costs associated with processing university applications.Strengthen the governance of private universities to meet the country’s educational needs.
The decision has sparked widespread debate, with many stakeholders expressing concerns that the policy could:
Discourage investment in private education, limiting options for students.Make higher education more expensive, as universities may pass the cost onto students.Lead to the commercialization of education, favoring profit-driven institutions over quality education.
While some argue that the increase will help filter unserious investors and improve the quality of education, critics worry that it will reduce competition and innovation in Nigeria’s private education sector.
The government has yet to respond to growing concerns, and it remains unclear whether private university applicants will challenge the policy. However, with the one-year moratorium in place, no new private universities will be approved until 2026.
For now, education stakeholders are calling on the government to reconsider the policy and find a balance between regulation and accessibility in higher education.
