Nigeria’s higher education system grew rapidly after World War II and independence in 1960. Below is a profile of the seven oldest universities and prominent early higher education institutions, including their founding years, histories, and key facts.

1. University of Ibadan (UI) — 1948/1962
   Founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan under the University of London, UI was Nigeria’s first degree-awarding institution (initially awarding London degrees). After independence, it became a fully autonomous university in the early 1960s. The campus, designed by Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, became a model of tropical modernist planning.
2. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) — 1955/1960
   UNN was envisioned by Nnamdi Azikiwe as a national university for the Eastern Region. Its legal framework was established in 1955, and it officially opened on 7 October 1960. It was the first fully autonomous Nigerian university founded by a regional government and played a key role in training professionals for the newly independent nation.
3. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU, formerly University of Ife) — 1961/1962
   Following recommendations from the Ashby Commission, the University of Ife was founded in 1961 and admitted its first students in 1962. It later became Obafemi Awolowo University and is renowned for its thoughtfully planned campus and modernist architecture by Arieh Sharon.
4. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria — 1962
   Opened as the University of Northern Nigeria on 4 October 1962, ABU merged several colleges to become a major centre for research and learning in northern Nigeria. It was later renamed Ahmadu Bello University in honour of the Sardauna of Sokoto.
5. University of Lagos (UNILAG) — 1962
   Established under the University of Lagos Act, UNILAG began with a small number of faculties in 1962 and expanded rapidly. It was one of the first federal universities created after independence to build professional capacity across the country.
6. University of Benin (UNIBEN) — 1970/1971
   Originally the Midwest Institute of Technology, UNIBEN opened on 23 November 1970 and gained full university status in 1971. It now serves Edo State and the surrounding region with a broad range of faculties and research programmes.
7. Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) — 1947
   Although not a university, Yaba College of Technology, founded in 1947, is Nigeria’s oldest tertiary technical institution. It played a crucial role in supplying staff and students for early universities and remains a leading polytechnic in the country.

These institutions not only shaped Nigeria’s educational landscape but also contributed significantly to nation-building by producing generations of professionals and leaders.