The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a memo from the Ministry of Education for the establishment of 20 new private universities across the country.
With this, the total number of private universities in the country is now 99.
The 20 new private universities are to be given provisional licenses to run for three years while the ministry monitors and evaluates their growth.
Also during the meeting, members observed a minute of silence for two late cabinet members who died recently.
The minute of silence was observed just before the commencement of the weekly meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari Council Chambers of the State House.
The former members are Alfa Wali and Tony Momoh.
ALSO READ: SSANU, NASUU say no going back on planned strike
Wali, a prominent Kano State indigene and former Minister of Agriculture, died on Monday, January 25, 2021.
The late Momoh was a veteran journalist and politician who was Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. He died on February 1 at the age of 82.
The Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Mongunu, as well as seven ministers physically attended the meeting.
The ministers included Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, and Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
