The Decay of Higher Education in Nigeria: A System in Crisis by Sam ‘Seyi Oduyela

The Decay of Higher Education in Nigeria: A System in Crisis

By Sam ‘Seyi Oduyela

Higher education in Nigeria is spiraling into a state of dysfunction, marked by disturbing trends that threaten its integrity. The nation’s university system was once revered as a beacon of intellectual pursuit. Now it is plagued by corruption. Exploitation and outdated academic practices also undermine its integrity.

Recent revelations expose an alarming culture where lecturers demand money from students before writing letters of recommendation. Even more shocking is the monetization of thesis defense, turning what should be an academic exercise into a financial burden. Undergraduate and postgraduate students are now expected to “pay their way” through defenses. They cover expenses that range from providing refreshments for examiners to fueling generators for projectors. Some are even compelled to offer “brown envelopes”—a euphemism for bribery. This level of academic commercialization is beyond unacceptable; it is a betrayal of the fundamental principles of education.

Back in 1990, I did not have to defend my Bachelor’s thesis. I also did not have to defend my Master’s degree in 1992. Today, students commonly defend their work. They also bear the unjust financial costs of doing so. Why should a student sponsor their own academic assessment? Are the examiners hungry? Have we reduced intellectual rigor to a transaction?

The rot runs even deeper. Female students continue to suffer from harassment and exploitation. Some professors take pride in failing students rather than nurturing them. The arrogance and tyranny of some lecturers—who see failure as a rite of passage—discourage learning rather than foster intellectual growth. I recall my own experience at the University of Ibadan in 1986. An MA student who taught GES 101 (Use of English) would arrogantly proclaim that “carryover is for human beings.” I chose not to attend his classes, focused on the exams, and still passed with a 49/60 score. His brand of intimidation had no effect on me. Yet, how many students today can afford to resist such academic bullying?

I have been immersed in academia since 1986. I began my teaching career at Tai Solarin College of Education in 1992. I have always regarded teaching as a noble profession. It is thus disheartening to witness this level of decay in Nigeria’s university system. We are indirectly teaching students corruption—not through theory, but by making them pay for everything, including their own academic assessment.

Worse still, academic stagnation is a serious issue. Many lecturers recycle outdated research, still referencing textbooks that are decades behind global scholarship. Some do not even conduct original research. Instead, they assign work to students. They slap their own names on it and send it for publication—all for the sake of promotion. This is intellectual fraud at its peak.

Nigeria’s philosophy of education is nonexistent. It fails to connect academic degrees with national development. This disconnection makes it difficult for graduates to apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. As a lecturer in Communication Studies, I always emphasize that a goal must align with content. Still, Nigeria’s educational objectives do not align with the degrees awarded to students. This is not just an academic crisis—it is a national tragedy.

If we are serious about reviving Nigeria’s higher education system, we must tackle these issues head-on. Corruption must be eradicated, ethical teaching standards must be restored, and the entire academic culture must be reformed. Otherwise, we risk producing generations of graduates who, rather than becoming agents of change, become victims of a failed system.