A few decades ago, the idea of a private university in Nigeria would have seemed laughable to an average Nigerian who was used to public universities all his life. Today, privately owned universities are some of the best universities in Nigeria. And these privately-owned educational institutions continue to sprawl across the country.
Below, we explore ten of the best private schools in Nigeria.1. Covenant University, Ota
Arguably the leading private university in Nigeria and second-best generally in Nigeria according to Times Higher education ranking report 2020. Covenant University is a growing, dynamic vision-birthed, vision-driven University, founded on a Christian mission ethos and committed to pioneering excellence and cutting edge learning. The school is driven by the compelling vision of raising a new generation of leaders for the African continent on the platform of a holistic, human development and integrated learning curriculum, to raise Total Men who will go out to develop their world.2. Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti
Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), a Federal Government-licensed, Non-Profit Private University is a model which is unique in many ways. For example, It is the only university in Nigeria, which before the issuance of the provisional license by the Federal Government of Nigeria, moved to its permanent site and constructed magnificent College buildings and College Hostels, Staff Quarters well-equipped with modern teaching facilities including e-learning platform and electronic boards within eight months. Consequently, the National Universities Commission (NUC) was so impressed that it described the university as a “miracle, model reference point and benchmark” for other universities. The school presently has five colleges; College of Law, College of Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Engineering and College of Social and Management Sciences.3. Landmark University, Omu-Aran
Landmark University is a private University established by the Living Faith Church Worldwide, committed to raising leaders equipped with skills and character to lead the world in meeting the FOOD need of humanity. On March 7, 2011, the University was licensed by National Universities Commission (NUC) to run undergraduate programs in the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Sciences and Engineering, Business and Social Sciences. On March 21, 2011, the University was officially dedicated and commenced full operation.Read more on Discover Nigeria
4. American University of Nigeria, Yola
The American University of Nigeria was founded in 2003 by Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice president, along with other local and international statesmen and academic leaders. The goal of AUN is to train the future leaders of Africa and to serve as both a stimulus and agent of economic development throughout the region. All students, regardless of academic specialization, receive high-level training in information technology, entrepreneurship, and in arts and sciences, all of which are the key to future sustainable development. AUN is committed to providing the skills and the leadership essential to advancing the continent’s pressing social and economic challenges.5. Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja
The University was established in 2009 to provide high-quality tertiary education for the country’s ever-increasing number of secondary school leavers. Today, Nile University has over 3600 students (undergraduate and postgraduate), 26 undergraduate programs across six faculties, and 36 postgraduate programs across five faculties.6. Babcock University, Ilishan- Remo
Babcock University is one of the best universities in Nigeria. Founded in 1999 as a pioneer private University in Nigeria, Babcock has continued this legacy of upholding cutting-edge excellence in education. Babcock now has a postgraduate school which took off in the third quarter of 2010 and a medical school which took off in January 2012. Today, Babcock hosts the following schools: Benjamin Carson School of Medicine, Computing and Engineering Sciences, Education And Humanities, Law And Security Studies, Management Sciences, School of Nursing Sciences, Public and Allied Health, Science And Technology, Veronica Adeleke School of Social Sciences, College Of Postgraduate Studies.7. Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos
The university has its origin as the Lagos Business School (LBS), established in 1991. The federal government approved the university as Pan-African University in 2002, and the LBS became its first school. The Ajah Campus was completed in 2003 and in 2010 work began on the Ibeju-Lekki campus. In September 2011, the university launched the Virtual Museum of Modern Nigerian Art, a website created by Jess Castellote, a Spanish architect that includes over 400 works from 81 artists, including pioneering Nigerian artists such as Aina Onabolu and Bruce Onobrakpeya and emerging artists such as Richardson Ovbiebo and Babalola Lawson.8. African University of Science and Technology, Abuja
The African University of Science and Technology (AUST) is a Pan-African institution, established in 2007 in response to a request from several African Heads of State, to give life to a request made by then-President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, that the World Bank and the African Union work together to create strong Pan-African centres of excellence to improve sub-Saharan Africa’s capacity in Science and Technology. Thus, a network of the now so-called Nelson Mandela African Institutes of Science and Technology (NM-AISTs) was born.Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
9. Redeemer’s University, Ede
Redeemer’s University is one of the top private universities in Nigeria. The university intends to produce graduates who can stand on their own and adapt to the ever-changing situations in our dynamic society. In particular, the university will nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship so that its graduates would be in the position to create jobs rather than relying on employment, which is now indeed scarce.10. Bowen University, Iwo
Bowen, one of the oldest private institution of higher education in Nigeria, was established in 2001 by the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC). The major foundation of what has become Bowen University today was laid in 1854. That year, the family of the late Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen started a school in Ijaiye Orile in the present Oyo State of Nigeria. The School, comprising five stewards of the late Bowens, five other labourers, and a few others drawn to the fledgeling school by sheer curiosity, has grown from this little beginning in 1854 into thousands of Baptist Primary and Secondary Schools scattered across the country. Source: Edusko Featured Image Source: Pan Atlantic UniversityGot a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com
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