When His Royal Highness Mohammed Ismaila, the Sarkin Karshi of Abuja, stood to speak at the recent reunion of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) SBS 76/77 set in Abuja, there was no mincing of words. His voice carried not just nostalgia but warning: Nigeria’s universities are silently collapsing, and the alumni, many of whom have risen to wealth and power, are watching from the sidelines.
“Our universities are failing,” he said plainly. “And one major reason is that alumni have been shut out. There’s no system in place to involve us.”
Once the pride of Africa, Nigeria’s public universities are now a shadow of their former selves. Buildings crumble, labs are outdated, and lecturers are underpaid. Students endure overcrowded hostels and struggle with irregular academic calendars due to strikes. Yet, amid the wreckage lies a largely untapped goldmine: alumni.
At the ABU reunion on May 9, two former governors — Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi) and Adamu Aliero (Kebbi) — joined HRH Ismaila in lamenting the decline. Aliero recalled when “the government handled our laundry and provided us with a transport allowance.” Today, that reality feels like a fairy tale to most Nigerian undergraduates.
“I haven’t seen electricity in my hostel for a week,” said Chika Okafor, a final-year student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. “We don’t even have functional internet in class. Alumni help would make a huge difference.”
Indeed, around the world, alumni play a critical role in supporting education. Graduates from Harvard to Cape Town contribute to their alma maters through endowments, mentorship programmes, and infrastructure development. But in Nigeria, that link is broken.
Dr Halima Lawal, a lecturer at the University of Ilorin, blames the disconnect on weak institutional structures. “We don’t even have proper alumni databases,” she said. “If you don’t build relationships with people, they won’t give back.”
HRH Ismaila believes it’s time for universities to modernise their approach. “There should be a fully staffed alumni office with a clear engagement plan,” he argued. “Even if each graduate contributes ₦500 monthly, multiply that by hundreds of thousands — that’s sustainable funding.”
Government officials agree in principle but say resources are tight. “We’ve launched a ₦500 billion student loan scheme to support indigent learners,” Senator Aliero noted. “But government alone can’t do it all.”
Education analyst Segun Oladele warns that no funding model will work unless universities change their mindset. “This is not just about money. It’s about inclusion, transparency, and vision,” he said. “If alumni don’t feel valued or informed, why would they care?”
As Nigeria searches for solutions to its deepening education crisis, one thing is clear: the silent collapse will continue unless universities open their doors to their most excellent untapped resource — their graduates.
Until then, as HRH Ismaila put it, “We will keep having these reunions and talking about the past while our future continues to decay.”
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