Nigeria

Higher education is defined here as all forms of postsecondary education that takes place in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and monotechnic education programs. Over 1.4 million students are enrolled in over 200 such institutions and programs in Nigeria. In 2003, there were 66 colleges of education, with an enrollment of 197,901 students; 55 polytechnics, with an estimated enrollment of 331,466 students; and 55 universities, with an estimated enrollment of 700,000 students. In addition, there were 90 monotechnics (i.e., technical colleges specializing in one area of study such as agriculture or health technology) and about 100 schools of nursing and midwifery and other professional training institutions, with an estimated enrollment of some 190,330 students. Given Nigeria’s projected population of nearly 127 million in 2003, the total estimated enrollment in higher education of 1,419,700 represents a participation rate of 1,121 per 100,000 members of the population, which is above the average (in 1995 figures) for developing countries (824) and better than the sub-Saharan African average (328). However, as a gross enrollment ratio for 18- to 25-year-olds (whose population was estimated to be 18 million in 2003), enrollment in Nigerian higher education represents a mere 7.8%.