Private
Published: June 12, 2026
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By Emmanuel Iweh
NUC Increases Application Fee for Establishing Private Universities by Over 400%
"The National Universities Commission has implemented a massive increase in the application fees required to establish private universities in Nigeria."
The National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria's apex regulatory agency for university education, has implemented a dramatic upward review of the application fees required for the establishment of private universities. The commission has jacked up the application fee by over 400 percent.\n\nAccording to sources inside the commission, this regulatory adjustment is intended to act as a quality control mechanism and verify the financial viability of promoters seeking to establish private institutions. The NUC asserts that the surge in private universities requires stricter regulatory measures to prevent the commodification of tertiary education and to ensure that only serious investors with adequate resources obtain licenses.\n\nWhile the NUC defends the decision as a necessary step to maintain quality, and fund its rigorous accreditation and monitoring visits, prospective proprietors have expressed concern. Many argue that the steep financial barrier could discourage genuine educational philanthropists and slow down the expansion of tertiary education capacity in Nigeria, where public universities are currently overwhelmed by applicants.
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