Application Fee to Establish Private University Now N25m – FG

 The Federal Government has announced a significant increase in the application fee required to establish private universities in Nigeria, raising the cost from N5 million to N25 million. This adjustment was revealed in a memo issued by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, on Monday.

According to the NUC, the fee hike aligns with efforts to reposition the private university sector, ensuring better coordination and enhanced quality in tertiary education. The commission emphasized that reviewing the guidelines for establishing private universities was crucial to ensuring these institutions meet 21st-century challenges.

“The goal is to create private universities that are well-equipped to meet global educational standards while catering to the nation’s growing demand for higher education,” the memo stated.

In addition to the fee hike, the NUC announced the suspension of inactive applications, particularly those from private open universities that have made little to no progress in over two years. It also halted applications that were still at the preliminary stage of submitting letters of intent.

Furthermore, the commission revised the cost of purchasing application forms for prospective private university founders, increasing the price from N1 million to N5 million.

The memo also stipulated that applicants who had already purchased forms under the old fee structure must pay the balance within 30 working days to avoid forfeiting their applications.