Higher Education in Nigeria: The Development and Problems

Abstract

The higher education institutions in Nigeria particularly the universities, have drawn a considerable amount of scholarly attention, critics, and sympathizers alike. With so much available documentation, giving a detailed report on the development of higher education in Nigeria will be more appropriate in the form of a book. This paper aims to capture a summarized version of available documentation on the subject. The paper traces briefly the history and development of higher education in Nigeria from colonial to the present (post-colonial) Nigeria. Also, a brief discussion on the methods or systems of education that was present in pre-colonial Nigeria. Universities (public universities) as institutions of higher education shall be the focal point of this paper. This is because they are the point of reference globally whenever the terms higher education or higher institutions are mentioned. For the viability of the nation’s development, efficient performance of the higher education system is required. Therefore, the economic impact and the problems facing the development of higher education were also discussed.