Study objective. The study investigates the social profile of university students in Nigeria and the possible role of systemic expansion in redressing inequalities in Nigerian universities.
Method. Six universities were randomly selected based on their elite or non-elite status and their regional location. One elite and one non-elite university were selected from each of the three former regions of Nigeria. In each of the six universities, first and final year students were given a paper and pencil questionnaire to complete in-class. There was a total of 624 students in the sample. The questionnaire, which was designed to gather information on the social background characteristics of the students enabled me to obtain a profile of university students in Nigeria. It was also possible to compare the social profile of first and final year students to ascertain whether there has been increased access to disadvantaged groups as a result of the expansion in the university system. The same analysis was done using both the regional and the elite/non-elite university samples.
Findings. The study shows that university students in Nigeria are predominantly males, Christians and students from specific ethnic groups, states and regions. They also tend to have an urban background, and have parents with a university degree and are at the upper end of the socio-economic scale. While some variations were found in the profile of students who attend universities in regional universities--especially in the North, there was no major difference between the profile of students at the elite and non-elite universities. In general, there was no evidence that access to universities has improved for disadvantaged groups, regardless of location or type/quality of the universities. This leads to the conclusion that inequalities tend to be reproduced in Nigerian universities.
Recommendations. Based on the findings, the following recommendations have been made: (1) There should be a more vigorous application of quota and other affirmative action measures in university education. (2) More schools should be established in the educationally backward areas, and a massive campaign aimed at orienting their population to the need for increased educational participation should be initiated. (3) Free primary education is recommended only for disadvantaged groups in the society. (4) Existing universities should be improved to ensure increased access and quality education. No further establishment of universities is recommended at this time.
