The State of Higher Education in Nigeria

As Nigerian students graduate from secondary school, they are finding themselves facing a crisis that has long plagued graduates before them. Although they have the grades necessary to qualify for higher education, many of them will never get the chance to enroll. In 2021, two-thirds of applicants who completed the national entrance examination were not able to find a spot at a university. Every year, this shortage holds back a huge number of students trying to get an education and improve their chances of finding a solid career.  

The crisis shows no sign of improving any time soon, as the education sector continues to be overburdened by strong population growth and a significant ‘youth bulge’ (over 70% of the country’s population is under the age of 30).  

Nigerian students with adequate resources often head to UK universities, where they find great success. In fact, Nigerian students are one of the best-performing groups of international student populations in the US and UK. However, not every Nigerian is able to travel to university, either due to monetary concerns or family responsibilities at home.  

Despite these challenges, the demand for college amongst Nigerians remains unstoppable and University of the People is proud to offer a high-quality, affordable solution to these determined students. Our founding mission is centered around making higher education available to students from all over the world. 

There are a few things we’ve done to make this vision a reality.  

Low Cost:

As a non-profit university, we can offer degrees that cost a fraction of what other American universities charge. Additionally, we’ve ensured that all course materials and textbooks are open-source and totally free to our students. We know that some students can only study part-time due to various life circumstances. Because we’re a tuition-free university, your degree costs exactly the same, no matter how many years you need to earn it. 

Fully Remote:

We know students don’t always have the luxury of traveling or relocating, so every aspect of our programs is 100% fully online. UoPeople allows anyone to earn their degree from wherever they call home.

No Live Lectures or Exams:

Our students come from 200 countries and territories around the world. That’s a lot of time zones. To accommodate each and every one of them, we never require students to attend live lectures or take exams at a set time.

No Video
High-speed internet access isn’t always reliable or affordable. For this reason, we don’t include any required videos in our course curriculum. By taking this burden off our students, we can open our programs to anyone with even a basic, limited internet connection.  

With the right ethos and the best technology, we can implement solutions that change the world. That’s what we’re doing at UoPeople. Our online model means that our programs have essentially unlimited seating, making us the perfect solution to Nigeria’s ongoing educational crisis. Whether you want to pursue higher education from Nigeria, or anywhere else in the world, apply today to start earning your degree.