SOME PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES RUN LIKE BUSINESS VENTURES, MAY COLLAPSE — EX-NOUN VC WARNS

SOME PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES RUN LIKE BUSINESS VENTURES, MAY COLLAPSE — EX-NOUN VC WARNS

Abuja — The pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, has warned that several private universities in Nigeria are being operated primarily as profit-driven ventures rather than academic institutions, a development he said could lead to their eventual collapse.

Jegede raised the concern on Thursday in Abuja while delivering a public lecture organised by the Federal Government College (FGC), Warri, as part of activities marking the school’s 60th anniversary.

His comments come amid growing pressure on Nigeria’s tertiary education system, as thousands of candidates prepare for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and other admission exercises, with limited university spaces nationwide.

The education expert noted that although Nigeria has close to 200 universities, many institutions lack the capacity to admit large numbers of students, further worsening access to higher education.

“I think we are almost getting to 200 institutions now. Given the population of Nigeria, we still do not have enough universities. Even the ones we have, their carrying capacity is very low,” he said.

According to him, several private universities operate with extremely small student populations, warning that many may not survive in the long term.

“Some private universities do not even have more than 500 students. Many of them will soon close down because of the way they are being run,” Jegede stated.

He attributed the problem largely to the misconception among some proprietors who view universities as quick-return business ventures.

“Many people who set up private universities believe it is a business. Once they establish it, they immediately begin asking where the money is coming from,” he said.

Jegede stressed that running a university requires patience and long-term planning, noting that it typically takes between seven and ten years for private universities to break even.

The former vice-chancellor also advocated a stronger shift toward open and distance learning as a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s growing demand for tertiary education.

“Why establish only physical universities when open universities can absorb far more students? That is what Nigeria needs at this point,” he added.

Highlighting the impact of NOUN since its establishment in the early 2000s, Jegede disclosed that the institution has produced close to 750,000 graduates.

He contrasted this with conventional universities, noting that even the largest face-to-face universities in the country rarely exceed 50,000 students.

According to him, Nigeria would require nearly 30 conventional universities to match the output currently achieved by NOUN.

Beyond tertiary education, Jegede also expressed concern over the declining state of unity schools, particularly Federal Government Colleges, blaming insecurity for weakening their core objective of national integration.

He described insecurity as the most critical challenge undermining student diversity and unity within the schools.

Echoing his views, the Global President of the FGC World Students Association, Dr Godwin Alo, said rising insecurity was discouraging enrolment from certain parts of the country.

Alo warned that declining student diversity threatens the survival of alumni networks and national cohesion.

“For any nation, once insecurity takes over, it affects every sector, including education. Without security, unity and development become impossible,” he said.