Many private universities in Nigeria have continued to struggle with low enrollment figures, and the reasons extend beyond tuition costs or academic quality.

Some universities are just living by name. Many private universities scattered across the country are lacking huge enrollments. Some of them do not get up to 100 candidates choosing them through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination (JAMB) processes.

Stakeholders argue that poor marketing strategies and growing insecurity across the country have significantly limited their ability to attract and retain students.

Obviously, without strong visibility and a safe learning environment, many of these institutions are losing out on the massive subscription numbers they aim to achieve.

A number of them are operating with far too few under-graduates that it beats imagination how they are managing to stay afloat. While many parents loath to send their children to such institutions, particularly those outside the city centres, lack of drive on the part of the private universities to aggressively market their institutions have combined to keep the enrollment figures abysmally small.

Gift Osikoya, a parent, emphasised that many private universities rely on traditional marketing methods and word of mouth, which according to her is not enough to attract huge subscribers.

“In today’s digital age, strong online presence, alumni testimonials, social media engagement, and visibility of success stories are very important. If parents and students do not see value, they will not enroll,” she said.

Besides, Osikoya noted that insecurity in parts of the country makes parents hesitant to send their children far from home, particularly to institutions in rural areas.

“Safety is now a major factor in school choice,” she noted.

She reiterated that high tuition fees by private universities scare many parents away, even in some faith-owned institutions.

“Private universities are generally more expensive, and with the current economic realities, many parents prefer public institutions, even with their challenges,” she said.

Infrastructure

Osikoya emphasised that some of the newer private universities have not yet built strong academic reputations due to lack of infrastructure. Some of these universities operate in one or two buildings, which are not enough in terms of good learning environments.

“Parents are cautious about investing in institutions they are not confident with; especially when the locations lack infrastructure, exposure, industry partnerships, and social life that attract young people,” she emphasised.

Jessica Osuere, chief executive officer at RubiesHub Educational Services, disclosed that the issue goes beyond just poor marketing.

“I think it has to do majorly with cost. How many Nigerian parents could afford to put their children in a private institution especially when you have more than one child in need of tertiary education?

“Others include safety issues, especially in rural areas, quality of teaching, proper accreditation, and whether children will get good jobs after graduation. When parents are unsure about these things, they prefer the more established schools,” she argued.

Stanley Boroh, a senior lecturer at the Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, said in addition to poor marketing strategies and insecurity, many private universities lack the needed manpower to run effectively.

“I think most private schools except for a few don’t have the manpower to run the school in terms of teachers.

“So, aside poor marketing strategies and insecurity there is also the lack of manpower,” he said.

Boroh called on the federal government and National Universities Commission (NUC) to stop approving universities arbitrarily.

“I think the federal government, and NUC should not be approving schools at random,” he said.

Speaking with BusinessDaySunday, Ossy Matthew, a computer scientist, said that the fear of insecurity may have resulted in the over-subscription of universities in the cities where the parents of students reside.

“What I have found out is that many parents do not want their children to go outside the particular city where they reside. Those who live in Lagos, for instance, look for universities located in Lagos for their children, no matter the cost. In fact, many today lobby to ensure that such children are not posted out from Lagos for NYSC scheme upon their graduation. It is a sign that things are generally getting worse in terms of insecurity,” Matthew said.

Kate Adams, a mother of two undergraduates, said that would never send her children outside the city where she lives even if the university was offering them scholarship.

Adams said: “I will never allow any of my children to seek admission outside the town or city I live in. We hear and read about abduction of students and corps members on a regular basis. I do not have strength for that kind of stress. Even if they are given scholarship, they will not go; of course, they will not even apply in the first place.”

Private universities surge

According to a report from the NUC website, as of early 2026, there are over 150 licensed private universities in Nigeria, with recent reports indicating the number has reached approximately 160, following the approval of new institutions by the NUC.

Insecurity

The security crisis in Nigeria is having its toll on the education sector as well. Ibukun Bankole, founder of JEN, an initiative group empowering youths, said the reality was that insecurity in Nigeria has gone beyond a security challenge and it is now a major driver of learning poverty.

Isaiah Ogundele, a teacher, emphasised that security should be prioritised over choice of school, especially in a country such as Nigeria.

“Consider safety first, take your child to a school that is located in a safe environment, because when there is life, there is hope,” he said.

Experts advocate visionary leadership from these private universities such as being innovative, value creation, and trust-building.

Osikoya urges the private universities managements to embrace entrepreneurship and skill-based programmes.

“Instead of competing broadly, private universities can focus on specific strengths, such as tech, agriculture, entrepreneurship, health sciences; a strong niche builds reputation faster.

“Parents will invest where they see quality, safety, and future opportunities,” she said.

Osuere urged private universities to improve teaching quality, ensure strong security, partner with companies for internships and jobs, and be open about their accreditation and results.

“Flexible payment plans and scholarships can also help. At the same time, the government needs to improve security and infrastructure in rural areas,” she said. (Business Day)