A total of 51universities have been approved to offer postgraduate programmes in the country by the federal government .
Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai announced this during the presentation and distribution of the stipulated benchmark by the National Universities Commision in Abuja.
The minister warned all universities offering post-graduate programmes across the country to strictly adhere to it or face stiff sanctions.
Although the universities given the green light were not cited,Professor Ruqayattu Rufai disclosed that an accreditation process for universities qualified to offer postgraduate programmes will soon commence.
According to the executive secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professsor Julius Okogie, the postgraduate benchmark minimum academic standards ,will not only address the shortfalls in the numbers of lecturers required for postgraduate programmes but will also help postgraduate education in Nigeria meet the demands in the global market.