The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced the approval of 13 new degree programmes, marking a significant expansion of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) for Nigerian universities.
This move, contained in a circular dated October 22, 2028, and signed by the Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, is aimed at enhancing quality assurance, academic relevance, and aligning the Nigerian University System (NUS) with emerging global trends.
The newly approved programmes, which were developed in March 2025 by experts drawn from the NUS, cover a diverse range of cutting-edge and essential fields.
The thirteen additional programmes approved as an addendum to the CCMAS are:
1. B.Sc. Artificial Intelligence
2. B.Ed. Classical Christian Education
3. B.Ed. Human Kinetics (Sport Management)
4. B.Eng. Geomatics Engineering
5. B.CHS. Community Health Science
6. B.Sc. Intelligence and Security Studies
7. B.Sc. Islamic Economics and Finance
8. B.Sc. Parasitology and Entomology
9. B.Sc. Telecommunication Science
10. B.Sc. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
11. B.Sc. Cooperative Economics and Management
12. B.Sc. Nuclear Science
13. B.Eng. Nuclear Engineering
The inclusion of fields like Artificial Intelligence, Geomatics Engineering, Telecommunication Science, and Nuclear Science/Engineering reflects the NUC’s commitment to equipping Nigerian graduates with skills for the 21st-century knowledge economy and addressing critical national development needs, such as in healthcare (Community Health Science, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and security (Intelligence and Security Studies).
NUC instructed all Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities to immediately take three crucial steps for the implementation of the new programmes. Which will include, ensuring the approved CCMAS documents are distributed to all relevant Faculties, Departments, and Academic Planning units.
Ensure that they develop the 30% institutional-based component of these programmes, ensuring they align with the provisions of the 70% core curriculum set by the NUC.
Universities that wish to offer these programmes should commence implementation effective in the 2025/2026 academic session, but only after a successful Resource Assessment Visit by the NUC to verify the availability of adequate human and material resources.
