Nigeria’s Universities Can Only Admit 700,000 out of 2 Million Annual Applicants – NUC

The National Universities Commission (NUC) revealed that Nigerian universities can only admit 700,000 of the 2 million annual applicants, prompting efforts to attract foreign investors to expand university capacity through branch campuses.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has revealed that Nigerian universities can only accommodate 700,000 out of the 2 million applicants seeking admission annually, highlighting a severe capacity issue in the country’s higher education system.

Dr. Chris Maiyaki, Acting Executive Secretary of the NUC, shared this during the Annual General Meeting of the International Studies Alumni Association at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. He emphasized the growing gap between the demand for university placements and the available slots across Nigeria’s 274 universities.

To address this issue, the NUC has launched a transnational education initiative aimed at attracting foreign investors to establish branch campuses and training institutions in Nigeria, thereby increasing university capacity. Maiyaki assured that any new institutions would be strictly regulated to meet the NUC’s academic standards.

He also commended the alumni association for its efforts to support academic development at ABU, including donations to the Department of Political Science and International Studies.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, NAIRAMETRICS