Top 20 best courses to study in Nigeria in 2026/2027

In contemporary Nigeria, one has numerous options to consider after leaving high school. These include pursuing university studies and joining a college or a technical institution. Whatever the case, the course one chooses can determine how easily one gets job opportunities after graduating. While it's advisable to consider your passion, the course's marketability is equally important. So, what are the best courses to study in Nigeria?

Key takeaways

• Medicine remains the number one course to study in Nigeria, only because of the general belief that jobs are readily available for medical graduates.
• The marketability of a course often depends on numerous factors, including market saturation, industry trends, and a country's state of economic and industrial development.
• Technology and innovation have changed the world massively. Some programmes that never existed in learning institutions a few decades ago are now among the best to study.
• Biochemistry, law, nursing, and engineering are among the best courses to study in Nigeria in 2026/2027.

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Best courses to study in Nigeria in 2026/2027

It is quite difficult to list the 20 top university courses in Nigeria because there is no standard data to rank courses in our country as the best. Based on the perception and marketability of Nigerian university courses and how graduates are doing in Nigeria, here is our opinion on the top 20 best courses to study in Nigeria.

Please note that there is no particular order in the list below; they are all listed just in alphabetical order, with some short explanations of what the courses are about and why they made this list.

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20. Accounting and finance

Accounting is one of the best courses to study in Nigeria. Accountants are needed in all professional fields. They can work in different places and companies such as airports, banks, churches, hospitals, schools, hotels, and supermarkets, among other establishments.

With a degree in finance or accounting, you get skills related to asset allocation, portfolio strategy, and investment analysis. After getting your Bachelor’s degree in accounting, you should plan to do a professional certification examination, a Master's, and a doctorate in different sub-fields.

19. Agriculture Science

Agricultural Science is a broad interdisciplinary field of agriculture and biology. Having a degree in this course will open you to many career opportunities, depending on the educational track you choose to follow.

You will be prepared for jobs that are related to the science and business side of agriculture. Agricultural Science is broad, which is why after you have completed your first degree, you will have the opportunity to further your education in other related disciplines.

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18. Architecture

Architecture has been consistently listed among the top 20 best science courses in Nigeria. One thing studying architecture guarantees is that you can work for a building firm and work privately at the same time. Architects will always be needed for the design and construction of buildings and other structures.

17. Biochemistry

Biochemistry is among the best courses to study in Nigeria as a science student. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes of living organisms. It is an interdisciplinary course of both biology and chemistry, and it is divided into three broad fields, which are molecular genetics, protein science, and metabolism.

16. Business administration

Business administration is a broad field that incorporates different types of management positions. From independent businesses to major corporations, they all need trained business administrators for them to succeed.

Business administration degree holders handle the managerial, organisational, and operational responsibilities of a company or firm. Many CEOs and other leaders in managerial positions have a background in business administration. Sales skills help promote and sell products and even grow a brand.

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15. Chemical and petroleum engineering

Chemical and petroleum engineering are among the top 20 best courses in Nigeria. Petroleum is the bedrock of the Nigerian economy currently. Petroleum companies are among the best-paying companies in Nigeria for chemical and petroleum engineers.

14. Theatre Arts

You might be surprised to see this course among our top 20 best courses in Nigeria, but this is quite true because theatre arts is becoming increasingly popular with the growth of the Nigerian entertainment industry and the fact that many opportunities are opening up in this industry.

If you love entertainment and anything related to it, you should strongly consider studying Theatre Arts.

13. Civil Engineering

Engineering is one of the best courses to study in the world in 2026. Just like IT specialists, civil engineers are needed in most sectors. Civil engineering is one of the top engineering courses in Nigerian universities.

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It is a professional engineering course that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the natural and physically built environment and constructions such as airports, bridges, canals, dams, pipelines, sewerage systems, roads, and railways.

12. Computer engineering and information technology

There are many wonderful career prospects with education in computer engineering and Information Technology. Computer engineering and Information Technology are the top courses in the world.

We are in the computer age, and the information technology sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors today. The downside is that you can learn special IT skills without going to university. Even so, the course still ranks among the top courses studied in Nigerian universities.

11. Economics

Economics is a top social science course in Nigeria. You can work in almost any establishment or firm with a degree in Economics.

This course works hand in hand with accounting because the two have some similarities, although economics is broader because it does not deal with money alone, but also with the factors of demand and supply and everything related to the economy.

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10. Estate management

Estate management is one of the popular environmental courses in Nigeria. It is a course that deals with the appraisal, evaluation, acquisition, development, and marketing of building property. Estate managers deal with the valuation and management of buildings and land in both the private and public sectors.

In the most developed countries, estate management has many unbelievable opportunities already. Career opportunities in Nigeria might not be as they are in developed countries, but there are growing opportunities.

9. Electrical engineering

Generally, engineering courses are among the top 10 lucrative courses in Nigeria. Among them is electrical engineering, one of the top courses people apply for every year. The course deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.

8. Geology

Geology is among the top 10 best courses to study in Nigeria as a science student. This is because graduates of the course are among the most sought after by oil companies. Geology students learn about the earth's structure and its events, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions, so that they can determine areas that are safe for buildings and other things.

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They also investigate earth metals, minerals, oil, natural gas and water, and methods to extract them. Geology is interesting, and if you love the science of the earth and you are inquisitive about it, it will be a great course for you.

7. Law

Law is among the top 10 best courses to study in Nigeria. Law students even have their special black and white dress code that makes them unique on campus.

Even though the economic value of Law in Nigeria has declined in recent years, there is still the prestige of being a lawyer that makes Law one of the top courses in the country. There is the pride of fulfillment after passing the Nigerian Bar Association exam.

6. Mass communication

Mass communication is one of the best university courses in Nigeria, but not many Nigerian universities offer this course because they do not have the facilities to train students in this field.

Some of the top universities that offer mass communication include Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Lagos, the University of Ilorin, and the University of Nigeria, among others.

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5. Marketing

Marketing is arguably a top social science course to study in Nigeria. This is because marketing graduates are needed by almost any firm, company, or organisation looking to make progress and stay relevant in a competitive market.

Only professionals in this field have the necessary marketing skills to help every company/firm establish its brand and keep making profits.

4. Medical laboratory science

Medical laboratory science goes by different names in different universities. It is among the best courses in the world. Medical laboratory science is a healthcare course that deals with bacteriology/diagnostic microbiology, chemical, cytopathological, haematological, histopathological, immunological, and microscopic analyses of body fluids and tissues.

Graduates of this course work in clinical laboratories in the hospital, non-clinical industrial laboratories, and reference laboratories, among other places. Graduates of this course get a job easily, and they are well paid as well.

3. Nursing

Just like medicine, nursing science is also one of the top courses studied in Nigeria because nurses are in high demand all over the world, not just in Nigeria. Most universities in the country with a College of Health Sciences offer nursing programmes. There are also many schools of nursing and midwifery in Nigeria where you can study this course.

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2. Рharmacy

Рharmacy is also a top course in Nigeria and one of the courses that also requires a high UTME score. It is one of the respected courses in the country, and it requires the best minds.

The course generally deals with everything about medicines, including how they are made, how they work, and their side effects. Рharmacy students are well respected on campus because they have to study a lot like medicine students.

1. Medicine

Medicine is among the top 5 best courses to study in Nigeria. This is because there is almost a 100% possibility of getting a job as a medical doctor. Admission into medicine is the most competitive in Nigeria, and it requires getting very high marks in the UTME exams.

The respect and prestige that come with pursuing medicine and surgery and earning the title of a doctor are reasons why it is the top course studied in Nigerian universities.

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What course is the best to study in Nigeria?

Medicine, law, biochemistry, nursing, and engineering are among the best courses to pursue in Nigeria.

Which course has the most job opportunities?

There is a general belief that there are unlimited opportunities for nurses and doctors in Nigeria.

Which job has the highest salary in Nigeria?

It is hard to determine the highest-paid careers in Nigeria because of the wide income ranges in different professions.

Which course pays the highest salary?

It is hard to pinpoint the course that pays the highest salary. Generally speaking, lawyers and doctors earn handsomely in Nigeria.

Which are the most useless courses to study in Nigeria?

The general perception of the top 20 useless courses to study in Nigeria varies widely because preferences and abilities vary. Even so, many Nigerians consider philosophy, religious studies, and sociology useless, but this may be incorrect.

Above is the list of the best courses to study in Nigeria. Remember that above all, you should consider your abilities and personality, your likes and passions, and the career opportunities available before you choose to study any course at the university.

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Legit.ng recently published the full list of courses offered by Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Nnamdi Azikiwe University offers a lot of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

The university also offers part-time programmes such as Physical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Management Sciences, and Social Sciences. UNIZIK does not offer free courses; all regular undergraduate students are required to pay fees.

Source: Legit.ng