The Federal Executive Council on Monday licensed 37 new private Universities.
According to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, this recent approvals have brought the total number of universities licensed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), administration since 2015, to 72.
Although, Adamu did not name the institutions, he however, said one of them was an online university, the first of its kind in Nigeria and owned by a woman from Bauchi State.
The education minister made this disclosure while addressing newsmen after the FEC meeting held on Monday, and presided over by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja.
According to a report by Daily Trust, when asked if the additional universities were expedient given the funding challenges of existing ones, Adamu said they were all private with enough funds to run them and they should not be denied the opportunity to exist.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the council also approved that the one per cent annual contribution for the Employees Compensation Scheme of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund payable by Federal Government ministries and agencies would henceforth be deducted at source by the Ministry of Finance.
He said council gave the approval for the mandatory deductions to have retroactive implementation with effect from January 2023.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said FEC approved the establishment of the Aviation Leading company with the approval of the full business case.
He said enterpreneurs and civil aviation would therefore have access to lease equipment at affordable rates in Nigeria, adding that the roadmap is gradually coming to 100% completion.
Sirika said the council also approved N3,047,127,022.72 for contract for the procurement and installation of taxi lighting system and photometric pattern for airports in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, and some other equipment all over the country.
He said the contract with 12 months completion period was awarded to Messsrs KSR3 Global Nigeria Limited.
The Minister of State (Transportation), Demola Adegiroye, said the council approved N1.3bn for the procurement of furniture for the newly acquired headquarters of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Security Agency in Lagos.
