By Omrigbe Esther Iyiowo
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stated on Tuesday that the Federal Government has no plans to sell universities to private investors.
Speaking at the Second Quarterly Engagement with heads of units and CEOs of parastatals under the ministry, Mamman addressed accusations from the Academic Staff Union of Universities about plans to hand over federal universities to investors through public-private partnerships.
“There is no plan to sell of f universities to investors,” Mamman said, emphasizing the government’s policy on transnational education, which allows for international investments in Nigeria’s tertiary system.
“This is an absolute lie and completely false. The government believes in our public institutions. However, this government has reforms that the country needs, and the private sector will play a major role in tertiary education. We have more private universities than public ones combined,” he noted.
Mamman stressed the need for international operators to set up institutions in Nigeria, either independently or in collaboration with local universities, while maintaining that guidelines on transnational education are in place.
He pointed out that other countries, like those in Asia, have bene f ited immensely from having international institutions, raising educational standards and bringing in revenue.
The engagement with heads of agencies aimed to review progress, address challenges, and reaf firm commitment to improving the educational landscape in Nigerian.