THE National Universities Commission (NUC) on Tuesday granted provisional licenses to four newly approved private universities in Nigeria.

The new universities include Greenfield University, Kaduna; Dominion University, Ibadan Oyo State; Trinity University, Ogun State; and Westland University in Iwo, Osun State.

On Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, presented the licenses at the NUC headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony,  Adamu, represented by the Registrar of the Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, said the establishment of new universities would promote healthy competition in Nigeria’s educational system that would lead to quality service delivery.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the provisional approval for the four universities to operate is intended to create room for effective mentoring and qualitative growth within the first three years of operation,” he said.

He also stated that the four universities would be placed under a probational test by attaching them to established universities.

“During the probationary period, the four universities will be attached to older generation federal universities for academic and administrative mentoring to be moderated by NUC.

“It is also advised that upon commencement of academic activities, the proprietor should sustain funding towards improving the infrastructure, equipment for teaching, learning and research as well as human resources,” he said.

The executive secretary of NUC, Abubakar Rasheed, gave insight into how the four universities had gone through stringent monitoring tests leading to the final approval by the Federal Executive Council.

The NUC had placed the four universities under surveillance since 2002, he said.

“In the case of Westland University, a period of 16 years, 2006 in the case of Dominion University, a period of 13 years. 2010, 8 years in the case of Trinity University. 2013, a period of five years in the case of Greenfield University”.

He said the present numbers of universities in Nigeria cannot meet with the nation’s annual demand for access to university education, considering the country’s rising population.

“All over the world, private initiatives are welcome.  Proper education cannot be handled by government alone except the private sector comes.

“The NUC is not ready to sacrifice quality on the altar of access; we must ensure adherence to quality; we do not want to encourage you to run the university with impunity,’’ he said.

He also said the commission has over 200 applications to process for new private universities in the country.

“Sometimes, it is not the fault of the NUC nor the fault of the applicants. It is simply that, some people started early. Before they give you license you are required to present the physical infrastructure. But if you are applying without any infrastructure it will take a longer time before you get the license.

“In the last one or two years, we have been trying to make the steps easier without compromising more stringent steps required,” he said.