Citation/Abstract

This study reports the crisis in Nigerian institutions of higher education between 1980 and 2002. Both primary and secondary data were collected from various sources to analyze the political climate and its effects on the Nigerian educational system. Data were gathered from alumni of Nigerian universities who are currently located in three U.S. states. Their opinions on the events leading to the collapse of Nigerian universities were collected. The findings reveal that political instability contributed significantly to the deplorable state of most institutions of higher education throughout Nigeria. Other factors include unplanned expansion of Nigerian universities, unclear objectives or educational philosophy, the evolution of campus cults, cheating on examinations, and the mass exodus of skilled educators from the country.