Unveiling the 10 Most Expensive Private Universities in Nigeria

There’s a saying that if education is too expensive try ignorance. Gone are the days when university education was free! It now costs lots of money to run a degree programme in any private university in Nigeria. Parents now part with several millions of naira to give their children desired education from year one to graduation in a private university.

Parents and guardians willing or grudgingly cough out these tuitions because they get the value for their money; since most of these private institution employ the best of hands, young, intelligent, dynamic and vibrant lecturers who are committed and passionate about what they are doing, unlike their counterparts in the government owned varsities. They equally use state of the art equipments for researches and practical, no incessant strike or unnecessary break; which is a popular practice in most state owned and federal universities (Story for another day). Interestingly, most of these expensive private schools are owned by Churches; unfortunate, their tuitions are not affordable even for their worshippers to send their children to the school. Though it’s expected to cheap (affordable) for their members (Let’s leave that part of the story for another day).

Meanwhile, here is a list of the 10 most expensive private universities in Nigeria.

By Sunday Obembe

BABCOCK UNIVERSITY

Babcock University is a private Christian co-educational university owned and operated by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Nigeria. The university was established as the Adventist College of West Africa (ACWA) in 1957.

In Babcock University, your meal and hostel defines your fee. It offers two and three daily meal services. And for accommodation, it depends on your choice; ranging from the classic, premium and regular.

Some of the courses offered and tuition include: Medicine, N3,116, 000, Law N992,300, Accounting and Nursing N860,00 and other faculties N620,000. It topped the list of the most expensive university in Nigeria.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA (AUN)

The university was founded in 2004 by Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria's former Vice President; it is located in north-eastern Nigeria in Yola, Adamawa State. At ABTI American University of Nigeria, students pay as much as N1,378,500 to receive quality Education.

Parents pay in dollars, tuition: $6,600 (N990,000), meals: $1,900 (285,000), four in a room: $500 (N75,000), private room: $1,900 – N285,000). In total, it amounts to N1,378,500 per annum. Accommodation, feeding and others are included in the fee.

AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY

Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) is located in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and was founded by Emmanuel Afe Babalola (SAN), in 2009. The school offer courses in five Colleges which include: Sciences, Law, Engineering, Social and Management Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences. The varsity tuition fee ranges from N675,000.00 to N1,075,000.00 annually.

The fee covers tuition, development levy, ICT, ID card, medical, sports, PTCF levy, course registration, caution fee and accommodation which is either four per room or two per room. is a Total fee for Engineering is N925,000 (4 beds) and N1,075,000 (2 beds). Health Science: N725,000 (4 beds) and N875,000 (2 beds) Sciences: N675,000 (4 beds) and N825,000 (2 beds) Social Management Science: N675,000 (4 beds) and N825,000 (2 beds).

IGBINEDION UNIVERSITY

Igbinedion University Okada (IUO), established in 1999, is considered the first licensed Premier Private University in Nigeria. It’s located at Okada, a town near Benin City, Edo state. It offers courses in Law, Medicine, Natural and Applied Sciences etc. The varsity tuition ranges from N540,000 to N820,000 without feeding.

For Medicine, Pharmacy, Law and Engineering, they pay a tuition of N610,000, accommodation: N100,000 and other facilities: N110,000. It is ranked the fourth most expensive universities in Nigeria.

COVENANT UNIVERSITY

Covenant University is located in Ota, Ogun State. It is a private Christian University established in 2002 by Bishop David Oyedepo (Winners Chapel).

School fees range from N432,000 to N800,000. Students are allocated into hostels according to their departments and hostels are named after personalities in the Bible.

BOWEN UNIVERSITY

Bowen University a private Nigerian varsity owned and operated by the Nigerian Baptist Convention and located at Iwo in Osun State. The institution which started operation in 2002, charges it’s tuition fee which ranges from N500,000 to N750,000 per annum. The fee covers only accommodation and tuition, while students are made to buy their food from the cafeteria.

REDEEMERS’ UNIVERSITY

Redeemers’ University is a Christian school located in Redemption City on the Lagos/Ibadan express road, Ogun-State, Nigeria. It was opened in 2005 and owned by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

At Redeemers, Natural Science pays N605,000, Management Sciences; N575,000 and Humanities pays N545,000. All this fees includes tuition and accommodation. Students are not permitted to cook but buy from cafeterias.

CRAWFORD UNIVERSITY

Crawford University, a private Christian university in Igbesa, Ogun State, Nigeria, is owned by the Apostolic Faith Mission and was established in 2005. The school provides accommodation for students but does not provide feeding. Parents only pay for tuition, accommodation and some additional charges. It’s tuition fee ranges from N400,000 to N600,000 annually.

CALEB UNIVERSITY

Caleb University is a private university owned by Prince Oladega, located in Imota, Lagos Nigeria and founded in 2004, but was granted full probational license for it to operate by the NUC in 2008. The courses offered include Anthropology, Financial Accounting, computer science, Economics etc. The tuition fees ranges from N505,000 to N555,000.

AJAYI CROWTHER UNIVERSITY

The Ajayi Crowther University, named after the late Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African Bishop who translated the Bible into Yoruba. Located in Oyo and was established by the Supra Diocesan Board (West) of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and has its origin in the defunct Christian Missionary society, CMS training institution, Abeokuta and the defunct St. Andrew College, Oyo. It was granted license to operate as a private university in Nigeria in 2005.

In Ajayi Crowther University, the faculty determines the fee you pay and faculty of Natural Science pays the highest due to the equipment in the laboratory.

The tuition fee ranges from N500,000 to N550,000 and it only covers for tuition, accommodation and other levels besides feeding.