Support private universities, Baze varsity VC urges govt

The Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, has urged the Federal Government to provide greater support to private universities, saying they contribute to the same national human-capital development goals as public institutions.

Adeniyi made the call on Monday during an interaction with journalists in Abuja, where he highlighted the financial pressures private universities face in providing quality education, recruiting qualified staff, maintaining infrastructure and meeting regulatory requirements.

He said private universities should not be regarded merely as profit-making organisations, noting that the cost of establishing and sustaining academic programmes and providing essential facilities was substantial.

“Anybody who thinks it is a profit-making organisation is just making a mistake. Look at what it entails to hire staff, buy facilities, provide utilities and execute huge capital-intensive projects. It is difficult,” he said.

Adeniyi argued that graduates of private universities ultimately join the same workforce as graduates of public institutions and contribute to the Nigerian economy.

“We are all citizens of this country. I don’t mind if TETFund wants to support us,” he said.

He commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for initiatives that have begun to include private universities in some research programmes, but called for broader interventions to strengthen the institutions’ capacity and sustainability.

The Vice-Chancellor said Baze University had invested in maintaining a conducive learning environment while keeping its fees competitive despite receiving no direct government allocation.

He said the university, established about 15 years ago by its Founder and Chancellor, Sen. Datti Baba-Ahmed, was established to redefine tertiary education in Nigeria and compete with leading institutions globally.

Adeniyi said the university had continued to comply with requirements set by the National Universities Commission, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and the Federal Ministry of Education.

He added that the institution was strengthening its academic standards by recruiting scholars from different parts of the world and planning to introduce external examiners from abroad to assess faculties in line with global best practices.

On research and development, the Vice-Chancellor described research as the “hallmark of development”, saying the university was building partnerships and programmes to deepen its research culture.

He also said Baze University was focused on producing graduates equipped with entrepreneurial and transferable skills to adapt to the changing demands of the labour market.

Adeniyi cited the university’s partnership under the World Bank-supported IDEAS programme as part of its efforts to provide young Nigerians with practical and entrepreneurial skills.

He further disclosed that the university had students from Nigeria and other African countries, particularly within the West African sub-region, while it was exploring collaborations with institutions and stakeholders in countries including Sierra Leone and Kenya.

He said private universities had become increasingly important to Nigeria’s tertiary education system amid pressure on public universities, inadequate infrastructure, overcrowding and growing demand for university places.

Unlike federal and state-owned universities, private universities are largely financed by proprietors and internally generated revenue, including tuition, accommodation, donations, grants and research income.

Adeniyi therefore reiterated the need for stronger government support, saying greater collaboration between public authorities and private institutions would strengthen Nigeria’s tertiary education system and human-capital development.