The National Universities Commission will issue provisional licences to 21 new private universities on Friday.
The NUC disclosed this in a notice on Thursday.
The temporary licence is issued to newly-established universities while they are under probation.
As of May 16, 2023, the Federal Government, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, approved the establishment of 37 new private universities, bringing the total number of private universities in the country to 148.
The demand for university education in Nigeria has continued to grow over the years. Data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board has over time revealed the huge preference for universities over the choice of polytechnics and colleges of education.
The university system, however, remains plagued with issues ranging from industrial actions, dearth of infrastructural facilities, and poor lecturer-to-student ratio, among others.
