International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org THE HISTORY OF THE EMERGENCE OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA Simeon Emenike Weli, Ph.D. Faculty of Technical and Science Education, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Abstract The demand for university education became so great in Nigeria during and following the oil-boom era that existing universities in the country could not offer admission to all. This and other factors discussed in this work led to the deregulation of higher education to give room to private sector participation. This paper examined the history of the emergence of private universities in Nigeria. Introduction Private education is a reality and has been growing around the world together with globalization. Private universities are seen as the most vibrant and fastest growing sections of post secondary education in the 21st century (Altbach, 1999). These are some of the reasons why privatization of higher education is quick growing globally, especially in Nigeria. i. There are the deregulation policies of the governments on the provision of education and thus giving adequate opportunities for private participation in education. ii. There is the inability of the public sector to satisfy the growing social demand for higher education, hence the need for the private sector to expand students’ access to higher education. iii. Public education is criticized for inefficiency while the private sector is increasingly promoted for its efficiency in operation. iv. The demand for employment oriented courses and subjects of study had changed and public universities seem unable to respond adequately to this phenomenon, hence it becomes imperative that private sector should increase. As the time of Third National Development Plan (1975-1980) and up to 1983 part of the Fourth National Development Plan Period (1981-1985), 23 Government Universities existed in Nigeria and few illegal private ones exited in the Southern Nigeria, Namely Imo Technical University, Pope John Paul University and many private Colleges of Education and Technologies. The 1979 constitution returned higher education to a concurrent list; to that effect state government took advantage of that and began to establish universities. Of the 37 Government universities in Nigeria as at 1996, 25 were fully controlled by the Federal Government, while State Governments control 12. Consequently, the 1979 constitution allowed for private ownership of universities, but there was a law or guidelines to regulate the mode of their establishment. As a result, “strange phenomenon began to appear and that is the private sector investing in the establishment of private universities” (Oladapo 1988:64). These universities began springing up in every part of the country, non-approved by the governments and without any appropriate body under government regulation to endorse their approval. As documental by Oladapo, the number of these private universities established or proposed as at January 1984 was 26. The reason for such growth within a six months period, stemmed from the Supreme Court ruling in 1983 in favour of Dr. Ukaegbu in government litigation challenging the legal right of his operating a private university. Imo Technical University Dr. Ukaegbu in the 1980s established and operated a private university at Owerri in Imo State called Imo Technical University. Owerri is a big city in the former Easter Region where demand for university education was very high in the 1980s. The university was doing well, but was branded illegal and 87 | P a g e International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org challenged in the court. The case went to the Supreme Court which then ruled in 1983 that it was perfectly legal for an individual or private concerns to establish private universities or at least that there is nothing in the Constitution and the laws of Nigeria preventing the establishment of private universities. “The supreme Court however did accept that the National Assembly could legislate on the quality of the programs offered in such institutions” (Oladapo 1988:64). Military Incursion But as soon as Buhari seized power in a military coup on 31 December 1983, he promulgated Decree 19 of 1984, which became effective from 9 February 1984, which abolished and closed down all private universities. The Decree further prohibited any further establishment of private Universities by person or persons, corporate or incorporate, it provided for the contravention of its provisions (National Universities Commission Annual Report 1995, p.2). However, in 1993, Babangida’s regime preparing to relinquish governance later that year, and possibly contemplating involvement in the business of owning private universities in the near future, embarked on repealing, amending and setting new decrees in respect to higher education. One of such was Education Decree No 9 of 1993 which amends Education Decree 1985 (which set Minimum National Standards for Establishment of institutions) and repealed Decree N0. 19 of 1984 titled “The Private Universities (Abolition and prohibition) Decree 1984”. In the repealing of this last Decree, establishing universities and other higher institutions of learning was no more exclusively for Federal and State governments; rather Local Government, Companies incorporated in Nigeria, and individuals who citizens of Nigeria and who satisfy the criteria for the establishment of a university are entitled to proceed. The repealing decree further provided that application for the establishment of an institution of higher education generally shall be made to the Minister of Education and specially in the case of a University, through the National Universities Commission (ibid, p4). List of Private Universities in Nigeria Table 1: List of Private Universities in Nigeria S/N PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES 1 Achievers University, Owo 2 Adeleke University, Ede 3 Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti – Ekiti State 4 African University of Science & Technology, Abuja 5 Ajayi Crowther University, Ibadan 6 Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin 7 Al-Qalam University, Katsina 8 American University of Nigeria, Yola 88 | P a g e International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org 9 Augustine University 10 Babcock University,Ilishan-Remo 11 Baze University 12 Bells University of Technology, Otta 13 Benson Idahosa University, Benin City 14 Bingham University, New Karu 15 Bowen University, Iwo 16 Caleb University, Lagos 17 Caritas University, Enugu 19 Chrisland University 20 Covenant University Ota 21 Crawford University Igbesa 22 Crescent University 23 Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo 24 Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin 25 Evangel University, Akaeze 26 Fountain Unveristy, Oshogbo 27 Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu-Nike – Enugu State 28 Gregory University, Uturu 29 Hallmark University 30 Hezekiah University, Umudi 31 Igbinedion University Okada 32 Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji 33 Kings University 34 Kwararafa University, Wukari 89 | P a g e International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org 35 Landmark University, Omu-Aran. 36 Lead City University, Ibadan 37 Madonna University, Okija 38 Mcpherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ajebo 39 Micheal & Cecilia University 40 Mountain Top University 41 Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja 42 Novena University, Ogume 43 Obong University, Obong Ntak 44 Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu – Osun State 45 Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos 46 Paul University, Awka – Anambra State 47 Redeemer’s University, Mowe 48 Renaissance University, Enugu 49 Rhema University, Obeama-Asa – Rivers State 50 Ritman University 51 Salem University, Lokoja 52 Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa. 53 Southwestern University, Oku Owa 54 Summit University 55 Tansian University, Umunya 56 University of Mkar, Mkar 57 Veritas University 58 Wellspring University, Evbuobanosa – Edo State 59 Wesley University. of Science & Technology, Ondo 60 Western Delta University, Oghara Delta State 90 | P a g e International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org 61 Christopher University Mowe 62 Kola Daisi University Ibadan, Oyo State 63 Anchor University Ayobo Lagos State 64 Dominican University Ibadan Oyo State 65 Legacy University, Okija Anambra State 66 Arthur Javis University Akpoyubo Cross river State 67 Cn Hill University Eiyenkorin, Kwara State 68 Coal City University Enugu State 68 Clifford University Owerrinta Abia State 69 Admiralty University, Ibusa Delta State 70 Spiritan University, Nneochi Abia State 71 Precious Cornerstone University, Oyo 72 PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Portharcourt 73 Atiba University Oyo 74 Eko University of Medical and Health Sciences Ijanikin, Lagos 75 Skyline University, Kano 76 Greenfield University, Kaduna 77 Dominion University Ibadan, Oyo State 78 Trinity University Ogun State 79 Westland University Iwo, Osun State The Early Approved Private Universities in Nigeria Following the decree, by May1999, the National Universities Commission received a total of 60 applications from prospective proprietors requesting approval for their respective universities. In all, registration was granted to three and certificates of approval presented to the proprietors. Babcock University in Ogun State is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Babcock was the