The National Universities Commission (NUC) has officially banned private universities in Nigeria from running satellite campuses across the country.
According to a statement released on the Commission’s website and signed by its Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, no proposed or existing private university will be permitted to establish multiple campuses in different states or operate transnational education programmes without explicit approval from the NUC.
The directive comes as part of new guidelines on the establishment of private universities in Nigeria. The Commission warned that sanctions would be applied against any institution found violating the rules.
In addition to the ban, applicants seeking to establish private universities have been directed to settle outstanding payments within 30 working days or risk losing their pending applications. Proprietors are now required to pay a revised non-refundable processing fee of ₦25 million. Those who had earlier paid the former fee of ₦5 million must pay the balance of ₦20 million within the same period.
The guidelines also introduce strict timelines for verification visits. Institutions awaiting their first verification must request it within 90 days of payment confirmation, while those preparing for a second verification have 180 days to do so. Any application that fails to meet these deadlines will lapse automatically.
Furthermore, licensed private universities are now mandated to relocate to their permanent sites within their first five years of operation, ensuring they operate in purpose-built environments rather than temporary campuses.
The Commission explained that the reforms are aimed at protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s university system and repositioning private universities to meet global standards.
It added, “Applicants are advised to act promptly to avoid undue delay and eventual cancellation of their applications.”
