List of Nigeria's 33 Newly Approved Universities by State and Type
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Jul 15, 2026 • Africa Higher Ed News & Policy
Nigeria's National Universities Commission approved 33 new universities in 2025, taking the country's total to 309. The new list splits into 7 federal, 6 state and 20 private universities spread across more than a dozen states.
🎓 7 new federal universities, including institutions in Rivers, Kaduna, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun and Zamfara states
🏠 6 new state universities, with Ebonyi State gaining two
📩 20 new private universities, concentrated in Lagos, the FCT, Imo, Ogun and Kwara states
What NUC approved
The National Universities Commission (NUC) licensed 33 new universities during 2025, according to Legit.ng . The approvals raised the number of NUC-recognized universities in Nigeria to 309. The new institutions split into 7 federal universities, 6 state universities and 20 private universities.
Federal universities (7)
| University | Location | State |
|---|---|---|
| Federal University of Environment and Technology | Tai Town | Rivers |
| Federal University of Applied Sciences | Kachia | Kaduna |
| Federal University of Agriculture and Developmental Studies | Iragbiji | Osun |
| Federal University of Technology and Environmental Studies | Iyin-Ekiti | Ekiti |
| Federal University of Agriculture and Technology | Okeho | Oyo |
| Tai Solarin Federal University of Education | Ijagun, Ijebu Ode | Ogun |
| Federal University of Health Science and Technology | Tsafe | Zamfara |
State universities (6)
| University | Location | State |
|---|---|---|
| Abdulsalam Abubakar University of Agriculture and Climate Action | Mokwa | Niger |
| Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology | Oferekpe | Ebonyi |
| University of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering | Ezza | Ebonyi |
| Cross River University of Education and Entrepreneurship | Akamkpa | Cross River |
| Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology | Ihugh | Benue |
| University of Innovation, Science and Technology | Omuma | Imo |
Ebonyi State gained two universities in this round, one focused on ICT and science and the other on aerospace engineering.
Private universities (20)
Seven of the 20 new private universities have confirmed names: Leadership University (Abuja, FCT), Jimoh Babalola University (Ilorin, Kwara), Bridget University (Mbaise, Imo), Greenland University (Jalingo, Taraba), JEFAP University (Suleja, Niger), Azione Verde University (Amaigbo, Imo) and Unique Open University (Ojo, Lagos), per Naija News .
The remaining 13 private universities are grouped by location rather than named individually in NUC's public release: six sit in Lagos, the FCT and Imo (two each), six more in Ogun and Kwara (three each), and the rest are spread across Ondo, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Enugu, Kaduna and Taraba.
How NUC accreditation works
NUC approval means a university has degree-awarding status recognized across Nigeria and by employers, but individual programs still need separate NUC accreditation before their first graduating class. A new university's license does not guarantee every department is accredited from day one, so confirm program-level accreditation on the NUC's public list before you commit to a course at any of these institutions.
What this means if you are applying
New universities take time to build reputation, staff and facilities, so check a new university's NUC accreditation status for your specific course before applying, separate from its overall license. Programs on a fresh campus often run limited departments in their first intake years, and admission through JAMB still applies for entry, regardless of when the university opened.
The new federal and state universities focus heavily on agriculture, technology and applied sciences, a pattern that matches Nigeria's push to expand STEM and vocational training capacity outside the older federal universities.