Some private universities operate like business centres — Jegede

The pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, has cautioned that several private universities in the country are being run as profit-driven enterprises rather than academic institutions, warning that such practices could lead to their eventual collapse.

Jegede made the remarks 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.

According to him, Nigeria’s higher education system remains overstretched, with existing universities unable to absorb the growing number of admission seekers. He noted that many institutions have limited carrying capacities, with some private universities enrolling fewer than 500 students.

“I think we are almost getting to 200 institutions now. Given the population of Nigeria, we still don’t have enough universities, and even the ones we have can’t take many students,” he said, adding that some private institutions may soon shut down due to poor management models.

Jegede attributed the problem to the misconception among some proprietors who expect quick financial returns after establishing universities.

“Many people see private universities as business ventures and immediately start asking for profits. But it can take seven to ten years to break even,” he explained, stressing the need for long-term commitment to quality education rather than short-term gains.

The emeritus professor advocated the expansion of open and distance learning as a more sustainable solution to Nigeria’s access challenges, noting that NOUN has demonstrated the model’s effectiveness.

He said the university, established in 2002/2003, has produced nearly 750,000 graduates, far exceeding the capacity of conventional institutions, most of which enrol between 40,000 and 50,000 students at most.

“You would need almost 30 conventional universities to match what NOUN is doing today,” he added.

Beyond tertiary education, Jegede also expressed concern about the declining state of unity schools, particularly Federal Government Colleges, blaming insecurity for weakening their role in promoting national integration.

Echoing his concerns, the Global President of the FGC World Students Association, Dr Godwin Alo, said insecurity is discouraging students from different regions from enrolling, thereby undermining diversity and unity within the schools.

He warned that reduced participation from some parts of the country could weaken alumni networks and student associations nationwide, stressing that security remains fundamental to the survival and growth of the education system.