AI and Nuclear Engineering Among 13 New Degrees Approved for Nigerian Universities

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 13 new degree programmes for universities across Nigeria. The initiative is designed to align academic offerings with global trends and bolster national development.

The approval was formally communicated to all university vice-chancellors in a circular signed by the NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu. The new programmes have been integrated into the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), the national framework for university education.

According to the commission, the new curricula were developed in March 2025 by a team of academic experts from the Nigerian university system, who crafted the 70% core national component. Individual universities are now tasked with developing the remaining 30% to reflect their unique institutional strengths and specializations.

The newly approved programmes reflect a focus on emerging technologies, public health, and specialized fields. They include:

· Artificial Intelligence
· Intelligence and Security Studies
· Nuclear Science and Nuclear Engineering
· Geomatics Engineering
· Telecommunication Science
· Parasitology and Entomology
· Water Sanitation and Hygiene
· Human Kinetics (with a focus on sport management)
· Cooperative Economics and Management
· Islamic Economics and Finance
· Classical Christian Education
· Community Health Science

The NUC has instructed universities intending to offer any of these programmes to begin implementation in the 2025/2026 academic session, pending a successful resource assessment visit to ensure they have the requisite facilities and staff.