The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, has reiterated that the one-year moratorium on the establishment of new universities in the country remains in force.
Ribadu said the policy, which took effect on February 10, 2025, was introduced to enable a review of the guidelines for establishing universities and to address challenges confronting the 21st-century educational landscape.
He spoke in his office while receiving a delegation from the Association of Brotherhood Academic Students, ABAS, which had drawn the commission’s attention to plans by the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, BCS, to establish Triplestar University in Cross River State.
The NUC boss explained that the moratorium applies specifically to private universities and is different from the recently announced seven-year suspension on new federal tertiary institutions.
The latter, he said, was aimed at consolidating existing schools and improving infrastructure.
Ribadu assured the ABAS delegation that once the moratorium lapses and a formal application is submitted, the commission would fast-track the registration process for Triplestar University.
He also urged ABAS members in universities across Nigeria and abroad to promote harmony with students of other backgrounds, while shunning vices such as drug abuse and cultism.
Ribadu, who also serves as Secretary-General of the Association of West African Universities, AWAU, stressed that the NUC remains open to consultations and dialogue on educational matters.
Earlier, ABAS leader and BCS Deputy Spokesman, Archbishop Emmanuel Ekuri, explained that ABAS, founded in 1971, serves as the scholarly arm of the religious organization.
He said the proposed Triplestar University was part of BCS’s contribution to education and development.
Ekuri added that ABAS was seeking collaboration with the NUC in areas such as policy guidance, curriculum development, funding opportunities, approvals and accreditation, in order to make the university project a reality.
One-year moratorium on new private universities still in force – NUC
