The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has approved 37 new private universities.

The approval was announced at an extraordinary Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

FEC entertained about 40 memoranda from various ministries, departments, and agencies, including the approval for the establishment of 37 private universities.

According to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, one of the institutions approved is an online university.

He said the newly approved universities have surged the number of private universities in the country to 72.

Although he did not disclose the names of the universities, he revealed that the online university would be the first of its kind in the country, and owned by a woman from Bauchi State.

The expectation is that it will cater to the likes of northern Muslim women who feel reluctant or are restrained from attending physical campus education.

Asked by journalists if the additional universities are expedient given the funding challenges of existing ones, Adamu explained that these are all private, with enough funds to run them and they should not be denied the opportunity to exist.

Besides, he said Nigeria needs more universities as the available ones are not adequate to take up all those aspiring for higher education.