At Independence, Nigeria Had Only Two Higher Institutions – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has reminded Nigerians that at the time of Independence in 1960, the country had only two higher institutions — the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

Speaking during his Independence Day broadcast on Wednesday morning, Tinubu noted that Nigeria has recorded remarkable growth in education and other sectors despite the challenges encountered over the years.

He explained that by the end of 2024, the country had expanded its educational institutions to 274 universities, 183 polytechnics, and 236 colleges of education across federal, state, and private ownership.

The President said:
“Although it is much easier for those whose vocation is to focus solely on what ought to be, we must recognise and celebrate our significant progress. Nigerians today have access to better education and healthcare than in 1960. At Independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools with a student population of about 130,000. Available data indicate that, as of 2024, there were more than 23,000 secondary schools in our country.

“At Independence, we had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology as the two tertiary institutions in Nigeria. By the end of last year, there were 274 universities, 183 polytechnics, and 236 colleges of education in Nigeria, comprising federal, state, and private institutions. We have experienced a significant surge in growth across every sector of our national life since Independence – in healthcare, infrastructure, financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, aviation, and defence, among others.”