List of 10 States with Highest Number of Universities in Nigeria as of 2026
- In terms of university concentration, Ogun state leads Nigeria with 24 institutions, a position it has occupied for a long time
- Delta, Kwara and Osun are among the states highly ranked in Nigeria, with the country boasting of 309 universities in total
- Public reactions reveal concerns about university admissions and job prospects for graduates
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide
Ogun state has the highest number of universities in Nigeria as of 2026.
There are 24 universities in the state, comprising federal, state, and privately owned tertiary institutions.
Source: Twitter
Nigeria has 309 universities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
13 states, out of 36 and the FCT, have the highest concentration of universities in the country.
States with highest number of universities
As reported by TheCable, the following are the number of universities in every state in Nigeria.
1. Ogun: 24
2. Abuja: 19
3. Delta: 14
4. Kwara: 14
5. Osun: 14
6. Lagos: 14
7. Kano: 13
8. Oyo: 13
9. Enugu: 11
10. Edo: 10
11. Imo: 10
12. Ondo: 10
13. Kaduna: 10
14. Anambra: 9
15. Niger: 9
16. Abia: 8
17. Akwa Ibom: 8
18. Cross River: 7
19. Ekiti: 7
20. Rivers 7
21. Sokoto: 6
22. Bayelsa: 6
23. Kogi: 6
24. Nasarawa: 6
25. Ebonyi: 6
26. Katsina: 5
27. Plateau: 5
28. Benue: 5
29. Gombe: 4
30. Zamfara: 4
31. Kebbi: 4
32. Borno: 4
33. Jigawa: 4
34. Taraba: 4
35. Adamawa: 4
36. Bauchi: 3
37. Yobe: 2
Total: 309
Source: Twitter
Nigerians react to 10 states with most universities
@tobikesh_
Only 300+ universities for a country of over 200 million people, now it makes sense why university admission feels like a do-or-die competition, not an opportunity. When millions are chasing a few thousand slots, getting admitted starts to feel like luck or a miracle, not just merit.
@Ugwumba001
Normally, Ogun Uni na Lagos universities weh dey look for land.
@kc_lionheart
Ebonyi State is building two new universities right now, and soon we will have 8 universities in our state.
@SaniAminuMuham4
Nigeria should be doing well in research with these numbers.
@Osprey_Obi
They all don't even fall in the 1000 top ranking universities in the world.
@braveyellk
Lots of secondary schools are called Universities. Proliferation of rubbish across the nation.
@emmlayi
Of what use is the university when there are no jobs after graduation? The govt are creating universities so that they'll skin dry the youth and get money from
@realpillnuke
The real silent intellectuals lol. Also, the best secondary schools academically, many are in Ogun
@Vibes_with_Rey
Most northern states, despite their huge landmass, have very few universities, so troubling.
NUC approves 33 new universities in 2025
Recall that the NUC approved 33 new universities to enhance education for Nigerian youths in 2025.
Nigeria's university count stood at 309, with private institutions leading the way at 168.
New federal, state, and private universities spanned multiple states, expanding access to higher education across the country.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
