Report Exposes How Secrecy and Poor Funding Are Eroding Nigeria’s University System

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 64 universities across the six geopolitical zones, paints a picture of institutions shrouded in financial opacity, chronic underfunding, and infrastructural decay. It warns that this “systemic secrecy” is deepening a culture of corruption and eroding global trust in Nigerian universities.

According to the research team led by Constance Obiuto Nwankwo, with contributions from Chinwe Obumselu, Kingsley Nwasodolu, Jasper Evagberien, Ebube Chukwukaeme, Ijeoma Achebe, and Dede Oghenevwede, none of the universities studied disclosed even partial financial information. In contrast, universities in countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana maintain open data systems accessible to the public.

“This is a national embarrassment. Institutions meant to model excellence now model secrecy and unaccountability,” the report stated.

The study linked this opacity to Nigeria’s recurring crisis of underfunding and poor infrastructure. From outdated laboratories and empty libraries to overcrowded hostels and insufficient classrooms, the report described a system that is “barely sustaining itself,” let alone competing globally.

Experts say this lack of transparency has far-reaching consequences on the future of the educational sector in Nigeria, as it discourages international and private investment. These donors demand open financial systems before funding research or infrastructure projects.
As a result of the lack of transparency, Nigeria’s universities lag behind their counterparts in countries such as the United Kingdom, Egypt, and Singapore, where audited financial statements are publicly available online.

“Transparency breeds trust and funding,” the report noted, citing how institutions such as Stanford and Cambridge attract major global grants through open governance practices.

To rebuild the credibility of the country’s tertiary institutions, the report recommends sweeping reforms — including a legal framework for mandatory financial disclosure, the creation of a University Transparency Portal, and the strict enforcement of the Freedom of Information Act.

The report also challenged Nigeria’s higher institutions to return to their founding ideals. This includes emphasising truth, openness, and knowledge. Until that happens, the nation’s dream of building world-class universities may remain just that — a dream.