Former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) said Nigeria’s 74 private universities cannot cater for demands for admission into the institutions.

He urged wealthy Nigerians to establish more universities, saying government alone cannot provide the required number of such institutions.

Former head of state, who is also chairman of PAMO University, one of the six private universities granted license, stated this at the formal presentation of licenses to the new universities at the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja yesterday.

The new universities are, Admiralty University in Ibusa, Delta state, owned the Naval Holding Company, Spiritan University in Nneochi, Abia state and Precious Cornerstone University in Ibadan. Also approved are PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Atibe University in Oyo town, Oyo State and Eko University of Medical and Health Sciences, Lagos.

NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abubakar A. Rasheed, said the number of universities in the country now stands at 160 including 40 federal, 46 states owned, and 74 private universities.