The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced a major reform of Nigeria’s university curriculum framework with the replacement of the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) with a new model known as the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).

The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, disclosed this on Thursday during the presentation of licences to the 12 newly approved private universities, including Peter University, Achina/Onneh, Anambra State, recently licensed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

According to Prof. Rasheed, the CCMAS is designed to promote flexibility, innovation and global relevance in university education. Under the new framework, the NUC will determine 70 per cent of the core curriculum and expected learning outcomes, while individual universities will be allowed to develop the remaining 30 per cent in line with their institutional philosophy, local context and peculiar strengths.

He explained that the curriculum overhaul forms part of a radical re-engineering of Nigerian university education aimed at aligning academic programmes with global standards and international best practices, particularly in preparing graduates for relevance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the evolving world economy.

Prof. Rasheed noted that despite having over 200 universities in Nigeria and a little above three million student enrolments, access to university education remains grossly inadequate due to rising demand. He cited data from the 2020 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which showed that out of 1,415,501 applicants, only 527,929 candidates (37.2 per cent) gained admission into Nigerian universities.

“Nigeria is still grossly deficient in access to university education, which is the highest producer of the skilled manpower required to drive socio-economic transformation,” Rasheed said.

The NUC boss charged proprietors of the newly licensed universities, including Peter University, to uphold quality and resist the temptation to prioritise profit over academic standards. He warned that the commission would not hesitate to sanction institutions found violating its operational guidelines.

Commending the proprietors of the new universities, Rasheed applauded their decision to invest in higher education despite the enormous financial and infrastructural demands involved. He assured them of the NUC’s continued support and cooperation, while urging them to familiarise themselves with the reviewed Code of Governance for Private Universities in Nigeria, which now offers greater flexibility in the appointment of principal officers.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, disclosed that the approval of 12 new private universities has increased the number of private universities in Nigeria to 111, while the total number of universities now stands at 215.

The minister noted that the licences were approved by the Federal Executive Council on April 6 as part of government efforts to widen access to university education. He stressed that with a population of over 200 million, Nigeria still has an urgent need for more universities to cater to the growing number of admission seekers.

Adamu reaffirmed the federal government’s recognition of education as a critical driver of economic development and welcomed continued private sector investment in the university subsector.

The newly licensed universities include PEN Resource University, Gombe; Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, Borno State; Margaret Lawrence University, Galilee, Delta State; Khalifa Isiyaku Rabiu University, Kano; Sports University, Idumuje-Ugboko, Delta State; Baba Ahmed University, Kano; Saisa University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Sokoto; Nigerian British University, Asa, Abia State; Peter University, Achina/Onneh, Anambra State; Newgate University, Minna, Niger State; European University of Nigeria, Duboyi, FCT Abuja; and Northwest University, Sokoto.

In his remarks, a former Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie, emphasised the need to encourage the establishment and effective operation of private universities as a strategy for improving access and ensuring quality university education in Nigeria.

For Peter University, the reforms and licensing signal a strong foundation for delivering innovative, high-quality and globally competitive education in line with national development goals.