The South West hosts over a quarter of Nigeria’s universities, with Ogun as the core hub

Key Takeaways

  • The South West hosts 82 of Nigeria’s 309 universities (27%), the largest share nationwide.
  • Ogun State alone accounts for 24 universities, nearly one in every three institutions in the South West.
  • The South West has 18 more universities than North Central (64), the second-highest zone.
  • The gap between the highest zone (82) and the lowest zone (21) is 61 universities, underscoring the regional imbalance.

Nigeria’s modern university system traces back to Ibadan in 1948, and the South West still carries that legacy. The zone now hosts 82 universities, about 27% of Nigeria’s total, the largest regional share, driven by Ogun State’s 24 institutions — nearly 8% of all universities in the country. The broader map shows a strong southern concentration of higher education.

The South South (52; ~17%) and South East (44; ~14%) together rival the South West’s weight, while the North Central (64; ~21%) has the largest presence in the North. In contrast, the North East’s 21 universities (~7%) highlight the widest access gap in the system. Out of 309 universities nationwide, the percentages reveal not just where institutions are located, but where opportunities are most and least accessible.

Source:

National University Commission

Period:

February 2026
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