Nigeria’s Federal Government has made it much more expensive to start a new private university as The National Universities Commission (NUC) said on Monday that the processing fee for private university has jumped from N5 million to N25 million.

According to media report, Abdullahi Ribadu, who leads the NUC, explained that these changes are meant to improve private universities in Nigeria. The goal is to make sure these schools better serve Nigerian citizens and to improve how private university education is managed.

The NUC said in Punch report that it is also updating its rules for starting private universities.

“This is to ensure that newly established private universities are positioned to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Pursuant to the above and in line with the directive of the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission hereby informs Promoters of proposed Private Universities in particular and the general public as follows:

“The Commission hereby suspends further processing of; All inactive applications including those of private open universities (i.e. those that have not made progress on their applications or made submissions to the Commission for upwards of two years), and applications at the stage of submission of Letters of Intent only.

“The Fee for purchase of Application Forms for the Establishment of a Private University is hereby reviewed from One Million (N1,000,000.00) Naira to (Five Million (N5,000,000.00) Naira; the Processing Fee for Application for the Establishment of a Private University is hereby reviewed from Five Million (N5,000,000.00) Naira to Twenty-Five Million (N25,000,000.00) Naira.

“The NUC will convey the reviewed Processing Fee of Twenty-Five Million (N25,000,000.00) Naira to applicants that have purchased Application Forms only. They are also expected to effect payments within a period of thirty (30) working days or risk forfeiture of their pending applications.”