Professor Ihechukwu Madubuike Mabuike, a former minister of Education and Health, noted the absence of private or state universities before his tenure as Minister of Education under the leadership of Shehu Shagari. During that period, there were only federal universities in Nigeria, with just one located in the South-East region, which was the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
However, Professor Madubuike's term in office led to the establishment of additional universities such as the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), a university in Yola, and the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, among others.
According to Vanguard, Mabuike said, "There were no private or state universities until I became Minister of Education under Shehu Shagari. All the 13 universities then were federal universities and only one, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was in the South- East. But within the short period I was in office, I brought the Federal University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri. We also had one in Yola, and the University of Agriculture Makurdi, among others."