The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced a significant increase in the fees associated with establishing private universities in Nigeria. According to a statement released on February 10, 2025, by NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, the fee for purchasing application forms has been raised from ₦1 million to ₦5 million, and the processing fee has been increased from ₦5 million to ₦25 million.
In addition to the fee adjustments, the NUC has imposed a one-year moratorium, effective from February 10, 2025, on the establishment of new private universities. This suspension affects all inactive applications, including those that have not progressed or made submissions to the Commission for over two years, as well as applications at the stage of submitting Letters of Intent.
The Commission stated that these measures aim to reposition private universities in Nigeria to better meet the needs of the citizenry and to ensure that newly established institutions are equipped to address the challenges of the 21st century. The NUC is also reviewing other aspects of the guidelines for establishing private universities and will communicate further details to stakeholders in due course.
Applicants who have already purchased application forms are expected to pay the revised processing fee of ₦25 million within 30 working days or risk forfeiting their pending applications.
