Nigeria set to establish 12 new higher institutions

Government and private organisations are proposing to establish no fewer than 12 new universities and colleges of education across states of the federation.

According to the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria has a total of 170 universities.

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These include; 43 federal universities; 48 universities established by state governments; 79 universities established by private organisations.

According to the National Commission Colleges of Education (NCCE), there are 156 accredited colleges of education and polytechnics established by either federal, state government, or private organisations in the country.

However, despite several lamentations that some of the institutions are ‘under-funded’, there seems to be more weight on the side of an increase in the number of higher institutions of learning in Nigeria as the government approves for more to be established.

The following are some of the new institutions of higher learning coming on board:

Federal University of Transportation

The federal government, in December, announced the intent to build the University of Transportation in Daura Katsina state.

The university will be constructed on 413 hectares of land donated by the Katsina State Government at the cost of N18 billion within 18 month period.

6 new Federal Colleges of Education

On 18th May, 2020, the Federal Ministry of Education announced that new federal colleges of education will be established in six states.

The ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Bem Goong, in a statement, said in Bauchi State, the college would be located at Jama’are in Jama’are Local Government Area; while in Benue State, the new FCE would be situated at Odugbo in Apa Local Government Area.

Other locations are Isu, Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State; Ekiadolor, Ovia North East LGA, Edo State; Iwo, Iwo Local Government Area, Osun State and Gidan Madi, Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

JIBWIS’s University

An Islamic organisation, Jamaatu Izalatil Bidah Wa Ikamatussunnah (JBWIS) has also proposed an Islamic university to be established in Shinkafi, Zamfara State.

During a visit to the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mutawalle, the leader of the organisation, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, said the proposed university will be completed in the next six months.

Monument University 

A religious organisation, Muslim Community Centre (MCC), Abuja, has also proposed the establishment of Monument University, Bwari, Abuja.

A member of MCC’s University Planning Committee (UPL), Prof. Ismail Junaidu, said documents on the centre’s intent for the development of the private university were submitted to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, on July 8, in Abuja by the Chairman of UPL, Prof. Ismaila A. Tsiga.

FCE Giwa, Maritime University and Federal University of Technology, Auchi

The Senate, on 15th July, passed a bill seeking to establish Federal College of Education, Giwa, Kaduna State.

Two other bills passed were those seeking to establish Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Delta State and the University of Technology, Auchi, Edo State.

The bills were passed after consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.

While the bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Maritime University was sponsored by Senator James Manager (PDP – Delta South); the other two to establish the University of Technology, Auchi; and Federal College of Education, Giwa, were separately sponsored by Senators Francis Alimikhena (APC – Edo North); and Uba Sani (APC – Kaduna Central), respectively.