The Role of Government in Financing Private Varsities Lukman Olaide* Department of Social Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria
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ial Scien oc ce S s Olaide, Arts Social Sci J 2018, 9:4 d J n o u a r DOI: 10.4172/2151-6200.1000372 s n t a r l A Arts and Social Sciences Journal ISSN: 2151-6200 Review Article Open Access We Matter Too; the Role of Government in Financing Private Varsities Lukman Olaide* Department of Social Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria Abstract This paper looks at the need for private universities financing by government. It starts with the genesis of private universities in Nigeria after which comparisons were made with public varsities in terms of financing. Also, the updated list of private universities in the country was also provided. Furthermore, it examined the different theories that backs-up the justification of the existence of private universities and also their achievements before a conclusion on why government should finance them is drawn. Keywords: Private universities; Promulgation; Public universities; by the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari who prohibited Administration private universities. This forced the twenty six (26) private universities in operation to close down. The issue of private universities did not Introduction come to the fore until Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife of Anambra Any country that seeks to develop must take education as an state in 1991 granted approval to the commencement of Madonna important tool. It is a known fact that education helps in attaining University, the then Federal Government promptly came out with a bill economic stability, political transformation and social advancement. claiming only the federal government can legislate on such matters. In In achieving this, it becomes imperative that such country aiming to the latter part of 1991, the military president General Ibrahim Badamosi develop must take higher education with all seriousness. While one Babangida had to set up a committee to review higher education in the must commend the Nigerian government for the creation of 40 federal country, this commission is popularly known as “Longe Commission”. universities and 44 state universities, the emergence of private varsities The ‘Longe’ report of 1991 recommended the establishment of private has further improved the educational system of the country. It is no universities. Consequently and in support of the recommendation, the accident that according to the January 2017 N.U.C release of the best federal government promulgated Act No. 9 of 1993 which repealed the universities in Nigeria, Covenant University, Ota currently ranks 6th private universities (Abolition and Prohibition) Act of 1984 Okojie [1]. out of 151 universities in Nigeria. Notable mention must be given to The number of private universities in Nigeria has increased to Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti and Landmark University, Omu- 69 as at January 2017. These are the names of all accredited private Aran for being in the top twenty list. universities and the year they were established as approved by National Compared to their public counterparts, the private universities Universities Commission (NUC). have had little to rely on in terms of funding. Quick glances at the S/N Name of Institution Website Year public universities source of fund are: 1. Achievers University Owo www.achievers.edu.ng 2007 1. Government grants/Subventions/NUC grants 2. Adeleke University Ede www.adelekeuniversity.edu.ng 2011 2. Endowments/Donations 3. Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti www.abuad.edu.ng 2009 3. International aids/Foreign grants 4. African University of Science and Technology Abuja www. 4. School fees/levies aust.edu.ng 2007 5. Gifts 5. Ajayi Crowther University Ibadan www.acu.edu.ng 2007 6. Investment and other internally generated revenues. 6. Al-Hikmah University Ilorin www.alhikmah.edu.ng 2003 From the aforementioned above, government grants constitute 7. Al-Qalam University www.auk.edu.ng 2005 the major source of fund for public universities. According to Ahmed, 90% of state universities funds comes from government grants, federal 8. American University of Nigeria www.aun.edu.ng 2003 universities gets 64% of their finances from government. In contrast, 9. Augustine University www.augustine.edu.ng/2015 private universities only gets 3% of their finances from their proprietors, the remaining 97% are generated through internally generated sources 10. Babcock University Ilishan Remo www.babcock.edu.ng 1999 and donations from individuals/corporate agencies. In this vein, this paper aims to find solutions proffered by the participation of private universities and also look at ways government *Corresponding author: Lukman Olaide, Department of Social Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria, Tel +234-1-7339832; E-mail: [email protected] intervention can help grow these institutions. Received May 10, 2018; Accepted June 06, 2018; Published June 13, 2018 Origin of Private Universities in Nigeria Citation: Olaide L (2018) We Matter Too; the Role of Government in Financing The first private university could be traced to the one established in Private Varsities. Arts Social Sci J 9: 372. doi: 10.4172/2151-6200.1000372 1979 by Dr Basil Nnanna Ukaegbu called Imo Technical University. It Copyright: © 2018 Olaide L. This is an open-access article distributed under the came to being after many legal battles with the military administration. terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and Created in the second republic only to be abolished after a promulgation source are credited. Arts Social Sci J, an open access journal Volume 9 • Issue 4 • 1000372 ISSN: 2151-6200 Citation: Olaide L (2018) We Matter Too; the Role of Government in Financing Private Varsities. Arts Social Sci J 9: 372. doi: 10.4172/2151- 6200.1000372 Page 2 of 4 11. Baze University www.bazeuniversity.edu.ng 2011 43. Obong University, Obong Ntak www.obonguniversity.net 2007 12. Bells University of Technology, Otta www.bellsuniversity.org 2005 44. Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State www. oduduwauniversity.edu.ng 2009 13. Benson Idahosa University, Benin City www.Idahosauniversity. com 2002 45. Pan Atlantic University Lagos www.pau.edu.ng 2002 14. Bingham University, New Karu www.binghamuni.edu.ng 2005 46. Paul University Awka, Anambra State www.pauluniversity. edu.ng 2009 15. Bowen University, Iwo www.bowenuniversity-edu.ng 2001 47. Redeemers’ University Mowe www.run.edu.ng 2005 16. Caleb University Lagos www.calebuniversity.edu.ng 2007 48. Renaissance University Enugu www.renaissanceuniversityng. 17. Caritas University Enugu www.caritasuni.edu.ng 2005 com 2005 18. CETEP City University, Lagos www.cetepuniversity.com 2005 49. Rhema University, Obeama-Asa, Rivers State www. 19. Chrisland University www.chrislanduniversity.edu.ng 2015 rhemauniversity.edu.ng 2009 20. Covenant University Ota www.covenantuniversity.edu. 50. Ritman University www.ritmanuniversity.edu.ng 2015 ng/2002 51. Salem University Lokoja www.salemuniversity.org 2007 21. Crawford University Igbesa www.crawforduniversity.edu.ng 52. Samuel Adegboyega Univesity, Ogwa, Edo State www.sau.edu. 2005 ng 2011 22. Crescent University www.crescent-university.edu.ng 2005 53. Southwestern University Oku Owa www.southwesternuniversity. 23. Edwin Clark University Kaigbodo www.edwinclarkuniversity. edu.ng 2012 edu.ng 2015 54. Summit University www.summituniversity.edu.ng 2015 24. Elizade University Ilara-Mokin www.elizadeuniversity.edu.ng 55. Tansian University Umunya www.tansian-edu.com 2007 2012 56. University of Mkar www.unimkar.edu.ng 2005 25. Evangel University, Akaeze www.evangeluni.edu.ng 2012 57. Veritas University www.veritas.edu.ng 2007 26. Fountain University Oshogbo www.fountainuniversity.edu.ng 2007 58. Wellspring University Evbuobanosa, Edo State www. wellspringuniversity.net 2009 27. Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu-Nike, Enugu state www. gouni.edu.ng 2009 59. Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo www. wusto.edu.ng 2007 28. Gregory University Uturu www.gregoryuniversity.com 2012 60. Western Delta University, Oghara Delta State www.wdu.edu. 29. Hallmark University www.hallmark.edu.ng 2015 ng 2007 30. Hezekiah University Umudi www.hezekiah.edu.ng 2015 61. Christopher University Mowe www.christopheruniversity.edu. 31. Igbinedion University Okada www.iuokada.edu.ng 1999 ng 2015 32. Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji www.jabu.edu.ng 62. Anchor University www.anchoruniversity.edu.ng 2016 2006 63. Arthur Jarvis Akpabuyo University Cross-river www.aju.edu. 33. Kings University www.kingsuniversity.edu.ng 2015 ng 2016 34. Kwararafa University, Wukari www.wukarijubileeuniversity. 64. Clifford University, Owerinta Abia www.clifforduni.edu.ng org 2005 2016 35. Landmark University, Omu Aran www.lmu.edu.ng 2011 65. Coal City University Enugu 2016 36. Lead University Ibadan www.lcu.edu.ng 2005 66. Crown Hill University Kwara 2016 37. Madonna University www.madonnauniversity.edu.ng 1999 67. Dominican University Ibadan www.dui.edu.ng 2016 38. Mcpherson University, Ajebo www.mcu.edu.ng 2012 68. Kola Daisi University Ibadan 2016 39. Micheal and Cecilia Ibru www.mciu.edu.ng 2015 69. Legacy University Okija Anambra www.legacyuniversityokija. com 2016. 40. Mountain Top University www.mountaintopuniversity.org 2015 Source: National Universities Commission. 41. Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja www.ntu.edu.ng 2009 Justification for Private Participation in University 42. Novena University Ogume www.novenauniversity.edu.ng Education 2005 According to Omuta, G.E the emergence and present surge of Arts Social Sci J, an open access journal Volume 9 • Issue 4 • 1000372 ISSN: 2151-6200 Citation: Olaide L (2018) We Matter Too; the Role of Government in Financing Private Varsities. Arts Social Sci J 9: 372. doi: 10.4172/2151- 6200.1000372 Page 3 of 4 private universities in the Nigerian educational system has been state public university, the Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye, in explained in terms of a number of factors [2]. These include, but are making case for charging fees argued that “cheap university education by no means limited to the following: The Public Failure Theory, the produces cheap graduates” (Sunday Punch, June 6, 2010: 53).