By
Bright Emmanuel, PhD
In a nation where the promise of education is often heralded as a lifeline to prosperity and empowerment, the harsh reality on the ground tells a different story. Across Nigeria, a silent crisis is unfolding, one that jeopardises not only the quality of learning but the very soul of higher education.
That crisis is the disturbing rise of makeshift universities: institutions operating from borrowed buildings, rented apartments, hotel annexes, abandoned plazas, and improvised classrooms that mock the sanctity of academic pursuit.
The image of a university, etched into the collective psyche, is one of sprawling campuses, libraries brimming with books, laboratories humming with research, and lecture halls echoing with debate. But this ideal is fast eroding in many parts of Nigeria. In its place is a troubling new norm: students crammed into under-ventilated halls, libraries without shelves, science departments without functioning labs, and campuses without a campus. These institutions, some hastily licensed and others poorly regulated, trade permanence for profit and vision for convenience.
A makeshift university is not defined merely by its lack of land or its temporary structures. It is characterised by uncertainty, improvisation, and institutional fragility. Often launched in rented residential estates or hotel compounds, these institutions begin enrollment long before physical development is complete, if it ever is. They may parade bold slogans and ambitious course offerings, but beneath the glossy brochures lie glaring infrastructural deficits.
In many cases, students attend lectures in converted living rooms. Chemistry and biology practicals are either postponed indefinitely or outsourced to secondary schools. Hostels double as classrooms during the day. Security is often non-existent, and the makeshift nature of the facilities makes them vulnerable to flooding, fire hazards, and forced eviction.
For the Nigerian student, education is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It is an investment of time, hope, family savings, and sometimes borrowed funds. When students enrol in these makeshift universities, they often do so in ignorance or desperation, unaware of the institutional weaknesses that lie beneath the surface. The cost to them is severe: Students attending makeshift universities often face significant academic disruptions, particularly when these institutions, lacking permanent sites, are compelled to relocate in the middle of sessions. This can mean uprooting entire classes across towns, or even to different states, causing confusion, financial strain, and loss of instructional time.
The learning environment in such settings is typically poor, with students often denied access to essential academic facilities, including libraries, laboratories, studios, and reliable internet. As a result, they receive only a skeletal version of the education they were promised.
Compounding the problem is the issue of accreditation. Many of these makeshift institutions are only assisted in meeting the minimum standards set by regulatory bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC). Their failure to meet these benchmarks often results in poor-quality academic programmes. This, in turn, has far-reaching consequences for graduates, who find themselves at a disadvantage in the job market or when seeking to further their education.
The questionable reputation of their alma maters casts a long shadow over their qualifications, effectively turning their dreams of academic and professional success into frustrating setbacks.Nigeria’s higher education regulatory framework has its merits, but enforcement remains a challenge. The NUC has clear guidelines for establishing universities, including requirements for permanent sites, qualified faculty, and minimum infrastructure.
Yet, loopholes abound. Some promoters of makeshift institutions manipulate the licensing process, exploiting temporary approvals or leveraging political connections to evade scrutiny.Even when institutions are sanctioned, enforcement is slow. By the time a school is shut down or delisted, thousands of students are already trapped in academic limbo. Many have spent years studying in courses that are ultimately unrecognised. Some have graduated with degrees that no employer respects.
While the private sector plays a vital role in expanding access to higher education, it has also become a fertile ground for exploitation. Some individuals see university licensing not as a call to service but as a business opportunity. Instead of investing in infrastructure, faculty development, and research, they invest in marketing, enrollment drives, and leased property. Education becomes commodified, and students become mere customers, not scholars.
This is not to say all private universities are makeshift or exploitative, far from it. There are shining examples of private institutions that uphold global standards and produce world-class graduates. However, the proliferation of makeshift models is undermining the credibility of the entire sector. The consequences of makeshift universities reach far beyond the experiences of individual students; they strike at the very foundation of national development. An educational system is a mirror of a country’s values and a blueprint for its future. When universities are reduced to quick-fix enterprises, the resulting damage ripples across the nation in profound ways.
Public trust in the value of Nigerian degrees is beginning to erode, particularly among parents and employers who are growing increasingly sceptical of qualifications from lesser-known or poorly equipped institutions. This scepticism not only diminishes the credibility of graduates but also weakens the overall integrity of the higher education system. Frustrated by poor learning environments and limited opportunities, many students and academics begin to look elsewhere, often abroad, for more stable and reputable institutions. This growing trend of brain drain depletes the country of much-needed intellectual capital and innovation potential.
Ultimately, such a fractured and unreliable education system undermines Nigeria’s broader development goals. No country can truly achieve sustainable progress when the very institutions meant to cultivate its future leaders are built on shaky, short-term foundations.
Addressing the crisis of makeshift universities requires bold, deliberate, and coordinated action. Reversing the trend will not happen by chance; it demands a firm commitment to reform and accountability at all levels of the education sector. First, there must be a tightening of licensing standards. No institution should be allowed to begin academic operations unless its permanent site is fully developed and equipped with the necessary core facilities. These structures must be physically inspected and verified to meet minimum academic and safety requirements before students are admitted.
In addition, an independent national audit of all universities, both public and private, should be conducted to assess their infrastructural capacity, the qualifications of their academic staff, and the accreditation status of their programmes. This kind of audit will help identify institutions operating below standard and guide corrective measures.
To support transparency and oversight, a secure whistleblower mechanism should also be established. Students, faculty, and concerned members of the public must be empowered to report substandard practices or inadequate facilities without fear of retaliation or retribution. Their voices are essential in ensuring continuous improvement and accountability.
Furthermore, the National Universities Commission (NUC) should maintain a publicly accessible, real-time online registry of all approved institutions. This database should clearly state each university’s physical location, accreditation status, and programme offerings, allowing prospective students and parents to make informed choices.
Lastly, the government should actively encourage credible public-private partnerships. Legitimate investors and education-focused stakeholders should be incentivised to collaborate in developing world-class campuses, especially in underserved regions. These partnerships can bring innovation, funding, and efficiency to the sector, bridging critical infrastructure gaps and raising standards across the board. Only through such comprehensive and proactive measures can Nigeria begin to restore integrity to its higher education system and provide students with the stable, high-quality learning environments they deserve.
Nigeria cannot afford to play roulette with its educational future. The proliferation of makeshift universities, often invisible to the powerful but painfully real to students, is a national emergency. Borrowed buildings may shelter classrooms, but they cannot house ambition, nurture excellence, or sustain the academic dreams of a generation.
It is time to stop treating education as a transaction and start treating it as a sacred trust. The students of Nigeria deserve more than borrowed buildings and broken dreams.
They deserve solid foundations, in infrastructure, in knowledge, and the promise of a better tomorrow.
EMMANUEL IS A LAGOS-BASED EDUCATION CONSULTANT. HE CAN BE REACHED AT [email protected]
