List of Cheapest Private Universities in Nigeria

In Nigeria, public universities have more students compared to private ones because the cost of education in private universities is way higher than that of public or government-owned universities. Although private universities are expensive to attend when compared to public ones, yet there are a number of cheap private universities in Nigeria. In this article, we’ll give a list of the cheapest private universities in Nigeria.

Private Universities in Nigeria

Private universities are universities not owned by the government and are operated under a privately managed entity.  In other words, private universities are academic institutions owned and managed by the private sector. Private universities are established by individuals, corporations, organizations, or any private entity. And although they operate under their own rules and regulations, yet they must obey the Government’s rules and that of the National Universities Commission(NUC).

The National Universities Commission(NUC) is the commission in charge of promoting higher education in Nigeria. Before any university can begin operation in Nigeria, they must be licensed by the NUC. The list of licensed private universities in Nigeria can be found on the NUC’s website.

Advantages of Private Universities in Nigeria

For the past decade, education in public universities has faced a lot of challenges which have affected the normal duration of undergraduate programs. These issues confronting the educational sector in Nigeria are due to a lack of funding and a conflict of interest between the Federal Government and the body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Private universities face none of the issues faced by public universities because the institution is run privately, and they mostly handle their projects through funding from tuition and investments. Here are some advantages or benefits of private universities in Nigeria

1. Definite graduation date

The educational calendar of private universities runs smoothly and faster. An undergraduate in a private university will graduate on the expected year pending the duration of the course which can easily be calculated unlike in public universities where a four(4) year undergraduate course can slowly lead to a seven(7) year stay on campus due to strikes.

2. Better Welfare and superior educational equipment and tools

In terms of educational tools, private universities are superior and even some of the cheapest private universities in Nigeria have better educational tools when compared to some top public universities. Private universities also provide better welfare compared to public universities.

3. Better Moral Training

Most public universities in Nigeria pay little or no attention to the morals and behaviour of their students, especially in non-academic areas. It is believed that private universities in Nigeria are stricter and help in instilling moral values among students.

4. Private universities are safer

Private universities in Nigeria have better security compared to public universities and incidents like cult clashes, riots, protests and vandalization of properties are rare in private universities.

Cheapest Private Universities in Nigeria

Undergraduate programs in private universities come at a cost and when most Nigerians hear the word “private” it is immediately tagged expensive. Although private universities are expensive, yet some universities seem to charge less than other private universities, and these universities are among the cheapest private universities.

Here’s a list of the cheapest private universities in Nigeria:

1. Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin (N103,000 – N600,000)

Al-Hikmah University is an Islamic university located in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Established in 2005 by the Abdur-Raheem Oladimeji Islamic Foundation (AROIF), Nigeria, Al-Hikmah University is top on the list of cheapest private universities in Nigeria with its tuition fee starting from N103,000.

2. Obong University, Obong Ntak (N170,000-N200,000)

Obong University is a private university located in Obong Ntak, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Formally known as African College of Management and the University of Africa, Obong University was established in 1997. The university has a tight relationship with the 1986-founded Obong Christian School, which is supported by the Christian community in Mount Morris, Michigan.

3. Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife, Osun State(N170,000 – N197,000)

Oduduwa university is located in Osun State and was established in 2009. Oduduwa University is one of the fastest growing and cheapest private universities in Nigeria.

4. Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State(N200,000 – N550,00)

Lead City University is one of the most popular private universities in Nigeria and also one of the cheapest private universities in Nigeria. The institution which is located in Ibadan, was established in 2002 but began operations in 2005.

5. Ajayi Crowther University N162,000 – N782,000

The University which began as CMS Training Institution in Abeokuta back in 1853 was relocated to Lagos (1868 to 1896) and then In March 1896, it was transplanted to Oyo retrospectively in 1920. Ajayi Crowther University popularly called ACU in Nigeria is competing among several other private universities to be the best.

6. Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State (N283,000 – N1,000,000)

Crescent University is located in Abeokuta, Ogun State and is founded by the Islamic Mission for Africa IN 2005. It is an Islamic and non profit higher education institution.

7.  Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State (N273,000 – N450,000)

Adekunle University is located in Ede, Osun State and was founded by one of the richest men in Nigeria Mr Adedeji Adeleke (father of Nigerian/International music superstar Davido) in 2011 through one of his foundations: Springtime Development Foundation (SDF). Adekunle University is one of the best private universities in Nigeria.

8. Rhema University, Aba, Abia State (N152,000 – N464,000)

Rhema university is a private Christian univeristy founded in 2004 by the president of living word ministries Emmanuel Okorie and received its license to operate as a private university in 2009.

9. Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State(N288,000 – N560,000)

Babcock University (BU), as it is now known, was founded as Adventist College of West Africa on September 17, 1959. (ACWA). With only seven ministerial students when it first opened its doors, ACWA was established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a senior college for training church workers from the West African sub-region. The university is open to whoever wishes to attend.

10. Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State  (N341,000)

Founded in 2007, Fountain University is located in Osogbo, Osun State and is an Islamic university. It is therefore not certain if they accept applicants from a different religion. It is a good option for Muslim students who want to attend a cheap private university.

Other cheap private institutions in Nigeria are:

• Wellspring University
• Renaissance University
• Crawford University
• Trinity University
• Caritas University

Conclusion

Students with the intent of studying in any of these private institutions should ensure they check out the courses the university offers as some of these institutions don’t offer all courses in Nigeria. And it’s important to know that the tuition fees for most private universities vary depending on the course or program.