By Benson Daniel
The Vice Chancellor of Baze University, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, has called for stronger government support for private universities, arguing that such institutions play an important role in developing Nigeria’s human capital and should receive greater institutional assistance.
Adeniyi made the call during an interaction with education correspondents on Monday, stressing that private universities face considerable financial pressure as they strive to provide quality education, maintain infrastructure, recruit qualified personnel and comply with regulatory requirements.
According to him, the cost of running a modern university goes beyond the payment of salaries and routine administrative expenses, with institutions required to continuously invest in academic facilities, utilities, laboratories, technology and other capital intensive projects.
He cautioned against viewing private universities solely as profit making ventures, noting that the institutions make significant contributions to the country’s education system and ultimately produce graduates who join the same workforce as those from public universities.
Adeniyi said private universities should therefore be considered as partners in national development, particularly at a time when Nigeria continues to face growing demand for tertiary education and skilled manpower.
He expressed openness to greater intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, particularly in areas such as research and institutional development. He also commended ongoing efforts to involve private universities in some research programmes, saying broader interventions could strengthen their ability to contribute to national development.
The Vice Chancellor said Baze University had continued to invest in academic standards and infrastructure despite relying largely on internally generated revenue. He noted that the institution had maintained compliance with the requirements of relevant education regulators while seeking to improve the quality of its programmes.
Adeniyi also highlighted the university’s efforts to strengthen its academic profile through the recruitment of scholars from different parts of the world and plans to involve international external examiners in assessing academic programmes.
He said research remained central to the development of any university and disclosed that the institution was pursuing partnerships and programmes aimed at expanding its research capacity.
Beyond conventional academic training, Adeniyi said the university was also focused on equipping students with entrepreneurial and transferable skills to prepare them for an increasingly competitive labour market.
He pointed to the institution’s participation in the World Bank supported IDEAS programme as part of efforts to expose students to practical skills and entrepreneurship.
The Vice Chancellor further said Baze University had students from Nigeria and other African countries and was exploring additional partnerships across the continent.
His call comes amid continuing discussions about the funding of tertiary education in Nigeria, with universities facing rising costs associated with infrastructure, staffing, research and technological development.
Adeniyi maintained that stronger collaboration between government and private universities could help expand access to quality higher education while strengthening the country’s human capital base.
He said private institutions remained committed to supporting Nigeria’s educational development and would continue to seek ways of improving academic standards and producing graduates capable of contributing effectively to the economy.
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