The acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, has reiterated that no tertiary institution in Nigeria is permitted to charge tuition fees in dollars.
Maiyaki who stated this on Thursday evening during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, stated that it was against the law for any university in the country to do so.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced recently that it was inviting proprietors of private universities and other institutions of higher learning in Nigeria who are allegedly charging fees in dollars.
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The NUC boss noted that they have carried out investigation and have not discovered such, adding that universities are only allowed to charge their foreign students in dollars.
“On the dollarisation of tuition fees in this said university, we have investigated it and the university is not charging fees in dollars. They only charge dollars to foreign students. So, I want the media to join hands with us to tell the public that no Nigerian university is allowed to charge fees in dollars,” he said.
Maiyaki also said that the commission would continue to approve more universities as long as they meet standards and have the capacity for sustainability.
He said approval for two more varsities to bring the number of universities in the country to 272 had been concluded and will be announced next week.
He maintained that the expansion will give room for access to tertiary education and stem the tide of Nigerians going outside the country to study.
“Due to the huge gap in demand and supply of university education, the National Universities Commission will continue to give approval for the establishment of more universities,” he said.
Maiyaki said every year, almost 2 million candidates seek admission into the universities but only between 500,000 and 700,000 students get admitted.
“You need to see the anguish and the frustration on the faces of families who are desperate to make sure that their children attend university education every admission session. It is very tough and challenging for university leaders and NUC and so we have no choice but to continue to approve the universities,” he said.
He added that the commission is presently processing applications for the establishment of distance learning centres that will be monitored to provide quality education.