Aerial view of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) Many years ago, as the Nigerian government sought to drive innovation and national development, it established over 66 research institutes across various fields. From agriculture to technology, the vision was clear: to make research the engine of progress and to create home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has published a new report that exposes a troubling reality in Nigeria’s higher education system. According to the report, most universities in the country operate in secrecy and are ranked among the least transparent in the world. The conclusion, which was reached after a painstaking survey that covered
Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, NUC’s Executive Secretary A few months ago, the National Universities Commission (NUC) announced that it had approved 11 new universities. This means that between 2023 and 2025, about 50 new universities have been approved for operation in Nigeria.What was intended as a bold move to expand access to higher education has now
In a bid to commemorate the United Nations’ World Science Day for Peace and Development, Nigeria once again faces a sober reminder of its unrealized potential in science and technology. While the nation boasts dozens of research institutes and a youthful population bubbling with talent, the systems to transform science into solutions that touch everyday
In a bid to boost Africa’s digital transformation, global tech giant Google has announced free one-year subscriptions to its AI Pro plan for students across eight African countries — including Nigeria. The initiative, which targets young people aged 18 and above, promises to equip learners with access to advanced artificial intelligence tools such as Gemini
For decades, Nigeria’s polytechnic system has carried a burden — the tag of being a “second-class” option for those who could not make it to the university. However, at a time when the nation desperately needs skilled hands to drive its economy, experts say this bias is becoming a costly national mistake. At the recently
Education is supposed to be the foundation of national progress, but in Nigeria, constant changes in the education system have continued to weaken that foundation. Every few years, the country introduces a new structure — from 6-5-4 to 6-3-3-4, and now 9-3-4 — all in a bid to improve learning. Nevertheless, despite the big promises,
Every year, over 1.8 million young Nigerian students take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but only about 30 per cent of them secure admission. The dream of higher education remains out of reach for many, even as new private universities spring up across the country. The United Nations projects that by 2050, Nigeria will
Education has always been one of the most powerful tools for shaping a nation’s global image. Countries like the USA, the UK, France, and South Africa have often leveraged the prestige and allure of their universities to enhance their nations’ global image. Unfortunately, Nigeria has not been able to do the same. The country has
There was a time when Nigerian universities stood tall among the best in Africa. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Nigerian graduates, especially doctors, were highly sought after worldwide. Today, the story has changed. Many Nigerian degrees now struggle for recognition abroad, and even at home, employers question the quality of graduates. Years of neglect,
