List of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria -

There are 63 state-owned universities in Nigeria, according to the available data on the National Universities Commission (NUC). Some state governments such as Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Kogi, Oyo, and Ogun among others have more than one universities.

Table of Contents

The Oldest State University
State-funded universities
State ownership

The Oldest State University

Rivers State University, established in 1979, is the oldest state-owned university in Nigeria followed by Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and Abia State University, Uturu, which were established in 1980 and 1981 respectively.

The year that followed (1982) witnessed the establishment of more universities by the sub-nationals as Ekiti State University (formerly Ondo State University); Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu; and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye came into the picture.

And after Lagos State Government founded its own university located in Ojo in 1983, no other state government established a univerity for the rest of that decade until 1990 when the Old Oyo State established Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso. The rest is history as Nigeria started witnessing more state governments across the country establishing more than one or two for their states.

State-funded universities

Below is the full list of state-funded universities in Nigeria, host communities, and their year of establishment:

S/N	State-owned Universities	Year of establishment	Host Town
1	Rivers State University	1979	Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
2	Ambrose Alli University	1980	Ekpoma
3	Abia State University	1981	Uturu
4	Ekiti State University	1982	Ado-Ekiti
5	Enugu State University of Science and Technology	1982	Enugu
6	Olabisi Onabanjo University	1982	Ago Iwoye
7	Lagos State University	1983	Ojo
8	Ladoke Akintola University of Technology	1990	Ogbomoso
9	Benue State University	1992	Makurdi
10	Delta State University	1992	Abraka
11	Imo State University	1992	Owerri
12	Adekunle Ajasin University	1999	Akungba
13	Prince Abubakar Audu University	199	Anyigba
14	Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University	2000	Uli
15	Ebonyi State University	2000	Abakaliki
16	Aliko Dangote university of Science & Technology	2000	Wudil
17	Niger Delta University	2000	Yenagoa
18	Adamawa State University	2002	Mubi
19	Nasarawa State University	2002	Keffi
20	University of Cross River State	2004	Calabar
21	Gombe State Univeristy	2004	Gombe
22	Kaduna State University	2004	Kaduna
23	Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University	2005	Lapai
24	Plateau State University	2005	Bokkos
25	Tai Solarin University of Education	2005	Ijebu Ode
26	Yobe State University	2006	Damaturu
27	Kebbi State University of Science and Technology	2006	Aliero
28	Umar Musa Yar’ Adua University	2006	Katsina
29	Osun State University Osogbo	2006	Osogbo
30	Olusegun Agagu University of Sc. & Tech., Okitipupa	2008	Ondo
31	Taraba State University	2008	Jalingo
32	Kwara State University	2009	Molete, Ilorin
33	Sokoto State University	2009	Sokoto
34	Ignatius Ajuru University of Education	2010	Rumuolumeni
35	Akwa Ibom State University	2010	Ikot Akpaden
36	Bauchi State University	2011	Gadau
37	Yusuf Maitama Sule University	2012	Kano
38	First Technical University	2012	Ibadan
39	Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa	2013	Jigawa
40	University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City	2015	Ondo
41	Edo State University	2016	Uzairue
42	Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University	2016	Ogboko, Imo
43	University of Africa	2016	Toru Orua, Bayelsa
44	Bornu State University	2016	Maiduguri
45	Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology Abeokuta	2017	Ojere
46	Gombe State University of Science and Technology	2017	Tudun Wada
47	Zamfara State University	2018	Talata Mafara
48	Bayelsa Medical University	2019	Yenagoa
49	University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences	2019	Umuagwo, Imo
50	Confluence University of Science and Technology	2020	Osara, Kogi
51	Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology	2020	Ikere-Ekiti
52	University of Delta	2021	Agbor
53	Delta University of Science and Technology	2021	Ozoro
54	Dennis Osadebe University	2021	Asaba
55	Shehu Shagari University of Education	2022	Sokoto
56	State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, Igbo-Eno	2022	Enugu
57	University of Ilesa	2022	Ilesa, Osun
58	Emanuel Alayande University of Education	2022	Oyo
59	Lagos State University of Science and Technology	2022	Ikorodu
60	Lagos State University of Education	2022	Ijanikin
61	Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education	2023	Kano
62	Kogi State University	2023	Kabba
63	AbdulKadir Kure University	2023	Minna, Niger State

NOTE: While there are 63 state universities, the federal government has 67 under its purview despite paucity of funds affecting their effective management.

State ownership

There is no state government in Nigeria that doesn’t have their own university, some of the state have more than one. Some have up to three. Below is the list of states and the number of universities they are funding:

Abia (1): Abia State University
Adamawa (1): Adamawa State University
Akwa Ibom (1): Akwa Ibom State University
Anambra (1): Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University
Bauchi (1): Bauchi State University
Bayelsa (3): Niger Delta University; University of Africa; Bayelsa Medical University
Benue (1): Benue State University
Borno (1): Borno State University
Cross River (1): University of Cross River State
Delta (4): Delta State University; University of Delta; Delta University of Science and Technology; Dennis Osadebe University
Ebonyi (1): Ebonyi State University
Edo (2): Ambrose Alli University; Edo State University
Ekiti (2): Ekiti State University; Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology
Enugu (2): Enugu State University of Science and Technology; State University of Medical and Applied Sciences
Gombe (2): Gombe State University; Gombe State University of Science and Technology
Imo (3): Imo State University; Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University; University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Jigawa (1): Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa
Kaduna (1): Kaduna State University
Kano (3): Aliko Dangote university of Science & Technology; Yusuf Maitama Sule University; Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education
Katsina (1): Umar Musa Yar’ Adua University
Kebbi (1): Kebbi State University of Science and Technology
Kogi (3): Prince Abubakar Audu University; Confluence University of Science and Technology; Kogi State University
Kwara (1): Kwara State University;
Lagos (3): Lagos State University; Lagos State University of Science and Technology; Lagos State University of Education
Nasarawa (1): Nasarawa State University
Niger (2): Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University; AbdulKadir Kure University
Ogun (3): Olabisi Onabanjo University; Tai Solarin University of Education; Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology Abeokuta
Ondo (3): Adekunle Ajasin University; Olusegun Agagu University of Sc. & Technology; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City
Osun (2): Osun State University Osogbo; University of Ilesa;
Oyo (3): Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; First Technical University; Emanuel Alayande University of Education
Plateau (1): Plateau State University
Rivers (2): Rivers State University; Ignatius Ajuru University of Education
Sokoto (2): Sokoto State University; Shehu Shagari University of Education;
Taraba (1): Taraba State University
Yobe (1): Yobe State University;
Zamfara (1): Zamfara State University

Which state has the highest number of state-owned universities in Nigeria?

Delta state has four universities under the control of the state government, they are: Delta State University; University of Delta; Delta University of Science and Technology; and Dennis Osadebe University

Which Northern state has the highest number of state-controlled universities?

Kano and Kogi have three state universities each. Kano state government contolled Aliko Dangote university of Science & Technology; Yusuf Maitama Sule University; Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education while Kogi government funds Prince Abubakar Audu University; Confluence University of Science and Technology; Kogi State University.

Opeyemi Quadri

Ope is a seasoned content creation specialist and researcher with over a decade of experience writing on education, student aid, and government policies. He is deeply passionate about education-related data.

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