The government has majority control of university education. Tertiary education in Nigeria consists of
Universities (Public and Private),
Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and
Colleges of education. The country has a total number of 153 universities registered by
NUC among which federal and state government own 40 and 45 respectively while 68 universities are privately owned as at August, 2017. According to the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria has 43 approved federal universities, 47 approved state universities, 75 approved private universities, 28 approved federal polytechnics, 43 approved state polytechnics, 51 approved private polytechnics, 22 approved federal colleges, 47 approved state colleges and 26 approved private colleges. To increase the number of universities in Nigeria, the Federal Government gave 9 new private universities their licenses in May 2015. The names of the universities that got licenses in
Abuja included,
Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos;
Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State; Kings University, Ode-Omu,
Osun State; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Owhrode, Delta State;
Mountain Top University, Makogi/Oba Ogun state;
Ritman University, Ikot-Epene,
Akwa- Ibom State and
Summit University, Offa,
Kwara State. The Federal Executive Council of the President
Muhammadu Buhari government approved the establishment of 20 new private universities on February 3, 2021, in Nigeria. The list and location of the newly approved Universities and their locations are as follows: 1. Mudiame University, Irrua,
Edo State 2. Claretian University, Nekede, Imo State 3. Ave-Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State 4. Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State 5. Maranatha University, Mgbidi, Imo State 6. Al-Istqama University, Sumaila, Kano State 7. Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State 8. Karl Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State 9. Nok University, Kachia, Kaduna State 10. Thomas Adewumi University, Oko Irese, Kwara State 11. Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, Kwara State 12. Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State 13.
Capital City University, Kano, Kano State 14. Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State 15. James Hope University, Agbor,
Delta State 16. Khadija University, Majia, Jigawa State 17. Maryam Abacha, American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State 18. Mewar International University, Nigeria, Masaka, Nasarawa State 19. Philomath University, Kuje,
Abuja 20. University Of Offa, Offa, Kwara State. First-year entry requirements for most universities in Nigeria include: a minimum of SSCE/GCE Ordinary Level Credits, with a maximum of two sittings; and a minimum cut-off mark score in the
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) entrance examination of 180 out of 400. Candidates with minimum of Merit Pass in National Certificate of Education (NCE), National Diploma (ND) and other Advanced Level Certificates minimum qualifications with minimum of 5 O/L Credits are given direct entry admission into the appropriate
undergraduate degree programs. typically enter university from age 17-18 onwards and study for an
academic degree. Historically, universities are divided into several tiers. which culminated in the establishment of University College, Ibadan in 1948. Five of these universities were established between 1948 and 1965, following the recommendation of the Ashby Commission set up by the British Colonial Government to study the necessity of university education for Nigeria. These universities are fully funded by the
federal government. They were established primarily to meet a need for qualified personnel in Nigeria and to set basic standards for university education. These universities have continued to play their roles in the production of qualified personnel and the provision of standards, which have helped to guide the subsequent establishments of other generations of universities in Nigeria. Universities in this tier are the following: •
University of Ibadan These universities are: •
Federal University of Technology, Owerri •
University of Agriculture, Makurdi •
Federal University of Technology, Yola •
Federal University of Technology, Akure •
Federal University of Technology, Bauchi •
Federal University of Technology, Minna •
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta State universities Pressure from qualified students in each state who could not readily gain admission to any of the Federal Universities continued to mount on the State Governments. It became imperative for some state governments to invest in establishing universities. which has now made 99 approved
list of universities in Nigeria. == Vocational education ==