The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday, April 6, disclosed that the Federal Executive Council has granted approval for the establishment of 12 new private universities in the country. This is despite the fact that public universities are currently on strike and academic activities have been grounded for almost two months.
According to the minister, the new universities would be mentored by federal universities that are in close proximity to their locations on the recruitment of principal officers, academic, and administrative staff, and the availability of human and material resources for the commencement of any academic program.
The Minister who made the disclosure on behalf of the Minister of Education at the end of the virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that some of the new private universities are specialized ones.
The proposed private universities are; PEN Resource University, Gombe, Gombe State, to be mentored by Modibbo Adamawa University of Technology, Yola; Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, Borno State, to be mentored by the University of Maiduguri; Margaret Lawrence University, Calilee, Delta State, to be mentored by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State; Khalifa Isiyaku Rabiu University, Kano, Kano State, to be mentored by Bayero University Kano, Kano State.
Others are, Sports University, Idumuje, Ugboko, Delta State, to be mentored by the University of Benin, Edo State; Baba Ahmed University, Kano, Kano State, Bayero University Kano; SAISA University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Sokoto, Usmanu Danfodio Sokoto, and Nigerian British University, Asa, Abia State, to be mentored by University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Also, approved are the Peter University, Achina-Onneh, Anambra State, to be mentored by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Newgate University, Minna, Niger State, Federal University Minna, Niger State; European University of Nigerian, Duboyi, Abuja, FCT, to be mentored by the University of Abuja, FCT, and Northwest University, Sokoto, Sokoto State, to be mentored by Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.
