The Federal Executive Council has approved a memo from the Ministry of Education for the establishment of 20 new private universities across the Nigeria.

The 20 new private universities are to be given provisional licenses to run for three years while the ministry monitors and evaluates their growth.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who briefed newsmen after the session, said the approved universities will get their provisional licenses from the National Universities Commission (NUC), which they will use for the next three years while monitoring and evaluation will go on.

The universities okayed by the FEC are: Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State; Thomas Adewumi University, Oko-Irese, Kwara State; Maranathan University, Mgbidi, Imo State; Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State, and Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.

Others are Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo State; Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State; Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo State; NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna State and Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State.

Also on the list are James Hope University, Lagos, Lagos State; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State; Capital City University, Kano, Kano State; Ahman Pategi University, Pategi, Kwara State, and, University of Offa, Offa, Kwara State.

Others are Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa State; Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State; Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja; Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa State and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State.

These latest additions will bring the total number of private universities in the country to 99.