Private varsities account for below six percent students - NUC

The National Universities Commission (NUC) said the 75 private universities in the country account for less than 6 per cent of students’ population in the Nigerian University System.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof Abubakar Rasheed disclosed this yesterday at a retreat organised for Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja.

Rasheed said the number of students being admitted each year by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) was more than what the 75 private universities enrol in four years.

“The private universities are the largest in terms of number 75 (out of 164), and the way it is going, in the next few years this number will continue to increase, of course, if you look at the total enrolment of the private universities, they account for less than 6 per cent. These 75 universities do not have up to 6 per cent,” he said.

According to him, the largest university in the country, Open University, “what it admits in one year is more than what the 75 universities admit in four years. NOUN admits over 100, 000 every year, now they have 450,000 students and they are targeting 750,000 in the next few years.”

On his part, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who spoke on behalf of other vice chancellors, commended the NUC boss for his various initiatives, which have gone a long way in repositioning universities in the country.