Top 10 Best State Universities In Nigeria (2024)

Best Top Rated State Universities in Nigeria 

State universities are universities established by the state laws and located within the state.

In a bid to encourage tertiary education and well as compliment the efforts of Nigerian federal government in tertiary education, state governments have aggressively invested in tertiary education.

Most states now have state government owned universities, polytechnics, colleges of education etc.

This post will be about stating the best state universities in Nigeria.

These tertiary institutions also help accommodate teeming potential undergraduates who may not be opportune to be admitted into federal universities as a result of competition and other criteria.

According to (NUC) Nigeria University Commission, there are 38 State universities in Nigeria.

Though private universities abound, but most of them are very expensive and can only be afforded by the rich.

All the state universities are named after the state or a prominent person, hero who hails from the state.

Before now, state universities in Nigeria are regarded and seen as second choice universities among potential undergraduates.

However, with improvement in infrastructure as well as quality of lecturers, today state universities are becoming attractive to Nigerian students.

For most Nigerian students, their major reason for preference of federal university over state ones is just the disparity in tuition fee.

The tuition fees for state owned universities especially the ones located in southern part of Nigeria is high when compared to the federal universities.

Quality of lecturers in state universities are getting up to that in the federal counterparts.

Most professors in federal universities also serve as adjunct lecturers in most state universities.

From pool of 38 State universities, we shall be enumerating the best 10 state universities in Nigeria.

Factors to be considered includes infrastructure, performance at accreditation, quality of staff among others.

Best State Universities In Nigeria (2024)

Below is the list best state government universities in Nigeria.

This ranking of best Nigeria state universities is based on infrastructure, quality of staff and course accreditation.

Lagos State University (LASU)

Lagos state university is one of the most sought after universities in Nigeria.

Established in 1983 by Lagos state government, Lagos state university operates four campuses scattered across Lagos state.

The main campus of Lagos state university is located at Ojo.

Other campuses are located at Ikeja, Epe & Surulere. The university offers pre degree courses (diploma), degree courses and post graduate courses.

LASU has a population of over 35,000 students. Currently, the tuition fee for LASU is between 113,250 to 115,750 depending on your course of study.

Some popular alumni of Lagos state university include: Chioma Chukwuka, Desmond Elliot, Ayo Balogun(wizkid), Annie Idibia, Micheal Ugochukwu (ruggedman) and deputy governor of Lagos state Oluranti Adebunle.

Lagos state university operates nine (9) faculties which includes:

•  Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Social Science
• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Business administration
• Faculty of Management sciences
• Faculty of Education
• School of Basic medical science
• School of Clinical sciences

Enugu State University Of Science & Technology (ESUT)

Enugu state university of science and technology was established during the era of old Anambra state.

Hence, ESUT started as Anambra state university of technology (ASUTECH) in the year
1980.

Following the creation of Enugu state in 1991, the university changed its name to Enugu state university of science and technology.

The university offers diploma programmes, degree programmes, post graduate programmes, sandwish programmes & pre science.

The tuition fee for ESUT ranges between 124,900 to 104,900 depending on your level.

In ESUT, the higher you move up in levels during your academic programme, the cheaper your tuition.

Enugu state university of science and technology is most sought after state university in south east Nigeria.

Technology for service is the motto of the university. ESUT operates dual campuses located at Agbani and Enugu town.

ESUT has nine (9) faculties which comprises of:

•  Faculty of Basic medical sciences
• Faculty of Social science
• Faculty of Management science
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Environmental sciences
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Applied and natural sciences
• Faculty of Agricultural and Natural resource management faculty

River State University of Science & Technology (RSUST)

River state university of science & technology is one of most popular state universities in Nigeria. It is the first state university established in Niger delta part of Nigeria.

The university was founded in 1972 and began as Rivers state college of science and technology until 1980 when it transformed to Rivers state university of science and technology.

RSUST is located at Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Mile 3 Port Harcourt.

The university boost staff and student’s strength of 1,870 and 29,939 respectively.

In RSUST, tuition fee is paid based on indigene and non-indigene status.

Students who are indigenes of Rivers state pay less while those from other state pay more.

For newly admitted students, the tuition fee is 70,000 to 120,000 depending on your course of study and status.

For old students, tuition fee is between 55,000 to 110,000 depending on your course of study and indigene status.

The university has ten (10) faculties which includes:

• College of Medical sciences
• Faculty of Social sciences
• Faculty of Management sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Environmental sciences
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Basic medical sciences
• Faculty of Agriculture

Delta State University (DELSU)

Delta state university, Abraka was established in 1992 by Delta state government.

DELSU operates three (3) campuses scattered across the state.

Tuition fee at DELSU varies among indigenes and non-indigenes. Delta state university has students’ strength of 36,000 students.

Tuition fee in DELSU ranges between 57,300 to 85,000 depending on your level and indigene status.

DELSU also offers pre degree, degree and post graduate programmes.

The university operates eleven (11) faculties which includes:

• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Sciences
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Pharmacy
• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Environmental sciences
• Faculty of Management studies
• Faculty of Basic medical science
• Faculty of Social sciences

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU)

Formerly Anambra state university before it was renamed after Biafra warlord Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

The university was established in the year 2002 and run 3 campuses of Uli, Igbariam & Awka.

The main campus of the university which is Uli is the site of former Anambra state polytechnic.

The Igbariam campus occupies the site of former college of agriculture.

The Awka campus which is where college of medicine is situated is located at Amaku.

The University offers diploma progamme, pre science, degree programme and post graduate programme.

The tuition fee is between 106 ,000 to 190,000 depending on your course of study.

Ten (10) faculties which the university operates are

• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Social sciences
• Faculty of Management sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Natural science
• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Environmental sciences
• Faculty of Physical sciences

Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH)

Ladoke Akintola university is owned by two states, Osun and Oyo states.

The university runs two (2) campuses with one in Ogbomosho and another at Osogbo.

The university run three (3) academic programmes: pre degree science programme, degree programme and post graduate programme.

Most academic, research and administrative work is carried out at Ogbomosho campus of the university.

Osogbo campus houses the university teaching hospital. Medical related students of the university are mostly found at the Osogbo campus.

It is one of the state universities in Nigeria with an improved and quality infrastructure especially Osogbo campus.

It is named after a Nigerian patriot Ladoke Akintola.

The university boost of student population of about 20,000 students.

Tuition fee for students is 140,000 for indigenes of Oyo and Osun and 170,000 for non-indigenes.

The university run six (6) faculties which includes:

•  Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Basic Medical sciences
• Faculty of Pure and Applied sciences
• Faculty of Engineering and engineering technology
• Faculty of Environmental sciences
• Faculty of Management sciences

Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU)

Ogun state university is named after Olabisi Onabanjo who was one-time governor of Ogun state.

OOU was founded in 1972 and was called Ogun state university as at that time until 2001 when it was used to immortalized chief Olabisi Onabanjo.

The students of OOU is estimated at 50,000 students. Over 95% of the university academic programmes are NUC accredited.

The university operates four campuses located at Sagamu (Remo), Ibogun (Egba), Aiyetoro (Yewa) and Ago-Iwoye (Ijebu) which serves as the main campus.

Tuition fee for the university is between 77,000 to 190,000 depending on your course of study.

The university also run a pre degree, degree and post graduate programmes.

The university run ten (10) faculties which includes:

• Faculty of Engineering and environmental sciences
• Faculty of Social Management science
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Pharmacy
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Clinical sciences
• Faculty of Basic medical sciences
• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Agricultural sciences

Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma (AAU)

Ambrose Ali university is Edo state owned university which was named after former governor of the state professor Ambrose Ali.

As at the time of establishing the university, Edo state is known as Bendel state. The university was established in 1981.

In the past cult activities was on the rise in the university until the efforts of the Edo state government helped put the ugly situation under control.

The university tuition fee is based on students course of study and its pegged at between 97,750 to 161,500.

The university operates eight (8) colleges namely:

•  College of Natural science
• College of Medical science
• College of Legal studies
• College of Environmental design
• College of Engineering and technology
• College of Education
• College of Agriculture and natural resources
• College of Arts and social and sciences

Ondo State University of Science & Technology(OSUSTECH)

Ondo state university of science and technology though young, is one of top 10 state universities in Nigeria.

The university is located at Okitipupa. The university took off on januray,2011.

The school fees for OSUSTECH is between 70,000 to 200,000 depending on your level and indigene status.

OSUSTECH boost of three (3) faculties:

• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Engineering

Cross River State University of Science & Technology (CRUTECH)

Cross River state university of science and technology is owned by Cross River state and located in Calabar.

CRUTECH as popularly called was formed from merger of three (3) higher institution, Calabar polytechnic, college of education Akamkpa and Ibrahim Babangida college of agriculture, Obubura.

The university was founded in 2002 as bill no 6 of 2004 as amended.

The university offer pre degree programme, degree and post graduate programmes.

The university operates four campuses located Calabar campus, Ogoja, Okuku and Obubura campus.

CRUTECH also run eight (8) faculties namely:

•  Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Environmental sciences
• Faculty of Communication technology
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Management sciences
• Faculty of Basic medical sciences
• Faculty of Agriculture & forestry

Plateau State University (PLASU)

Plateau state university is located at Bokkos local government area.

The law establishing PLASU was enacted on march 2005.

However, academic activities officially took off on May 2007 in the university.

PLASU is relatively a young university and is making high improvements in infrastructure and academics.

Just like most state universities, PLASU also pay school fees based on indigene and non-indigene status.

Indigenes pay 50,000 while non indigene pays 100,000.

The university has four faculties namely:

• Faculty of Arts,
• Faculty of Social science,
• Faculty of Management sciences
• Faculty of Natural and applied sciences

Conclusion

It is important to note that tuition fees of these universities is subject to changed and amendments as the university management reserves the right to either increase or reduce these fees.

Also, as the population of the universities increases, joined with increase in researches, the university is bound to also expand and grow. This being the case, the number of faculties will also continue to multiply.