The Niger State University of Education, Minna, has had its recognition as a university of education renewed with the approval of the National Universities Commission, or NUC.
This was announced by the NUC’s acting executive secretary, Chris Maiyaki, during a visit by Mohammed Umar Bago, the governor of Niger State, to the Commission’s Abuja offices on Thursday.
The university first received conditional recognition as the University of Education in 2013, but some of the requirements weren’t satisfied by the subsequent Niger State administrations until Bago took office, according to Maiyaki, who read a letter expressing the approval.
He claimed that as the 63rd state-owned university in Nigeria, Niger State University of Education is now fully acknowledged as a result of the recent development.
It will be noted that the National Universities Commission recognised the Niger State University of Education in Minna as a legitimate institution of higher learning under the Nigerian University System.
“But that recognition was contingent to a formal concurrent in writing by the incoming administration at that time and its willingness to retain the university, but the process was never consummated by the successive Niger State administrations, until this government requested the activation of the NUC earlier recognition of Niger State University of Education, Minna,” Maiyaki said.
The new university was approved, according to the acting NUC boss, following the presentation of pertinent documents, such as the masterplan, academic brief, and law of the university that was gazetted.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among other pertinent government agencies, would be informed of the institution’s new status, according to Maiyaki, who also stated that the university’s new recognition will begin to take effect on Thursday, September 28, 2023.
He added that the NUC is fully prepared to offer the required recommendations to ensure the school lives up to expectations. He nevertheless asked the governor to improve the amenities in the new university.
The Niger governor had earlier stated that he had come to offer congratulations to Maiyaki on his new role as acting executive secretary of the NUC and to express his zeal for the state’s rapid expansion of the education sector.
“We have come to rekindle that desire,” he added. “My predecessor had come here in 2013 to convert Niger State College of Education, Minna into a university of Education, but somewhere along the way, it became a phantom.
Second, the IBB University Lapai has expressed interest in studying medicine and has submitted an application. We are making a request to you (acting NUC Executive Secretary) to expedite the necessary approvals so we can have the complete curriculum for medical studies.
Thirdly, we want to see the Federal College of Education in Kontogora realise its potential as a university of education.
The Federal Polytechnic in Bida likewise aspires to grant degrees, and other private projects have also been emerging.
With the state’s Education Trust Fund Law now in effect, Bago claimed that finance for the new institution would not be an issue.
“Niger State just passed a law on Education Trust Fund; every contract of government, every transaction within the state is charged one percent for Education Fund,” he claimed.
