"All Federal Government universities are tuition-free" — Chidoka

Nigeria's Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has said all Federal universities operating in the country are tuition free.

Chidoka, the former Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said this at a press briefing folowing Wednesday's meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), chaired by the Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Answering a question about the exorbitant fees charged by private universities, Chidoka said the federal government is only responsible for ensuring standards and not chargeable fees.

He then said no Federal university in the country charges tuition fees.

“As far as government is concerned, all Federal Government universities are tuition-free. Whatever the universities are charging are so minimal for some day-to-day activities: games fees, union fees and some other fees," Chidoka said.

"There is a university that is charging as low as N20,000, N15,000. Some charge N30, 000 to N80, 000 or so which is a composition of a number of different kinds of fees. But basically, no university owned by government is charging tuition fee."

He also said private universities are free to charge any fee that is profitable for their investments, provided they operate within set standards.

“Government really does not have anything to do as far as what the private institutions are charging. Tuition is free in public schools,” he said.

“We are to ensure that they are operating within the minimum required standard, and that is the responsibility of the NUC in terms of their facilities, staffing and so on."

Earlier, Chidoka announced FEC’s approval of the establishment of 9 new private universities across the country.

“The nine new universities are Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos State; Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele, Ogun State.

"Others are; Kings University, Ode Omu, Osun State; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Orode, Delta State; Mountain Top University, Ogun State, Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State and Summit University, Offa, Kwara State."

He was accompanied by the Minster of Education, Ibrahim Shakarau, Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe and the Minister of State of Finance, Bashir Yuguda.