The Federal Ministry of Education has announced plans to establish a Nigerian campus of Coventry University in Alaro City, Lagos State, offering Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes across key disciplines, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine, Business, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
The proposed campus represents a Transnational Education partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, designed to provide affordable international standard education within the country, with degrees awarded equivalent to those obtained in the United Kingdom.
Admissions are expected to begin between the third and fourth quarters of 2026, pending regulatory approvals, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, disclosed that he is currently in the UK alongside President Bola Tinubu, engaging with university leadership, investors, and development partners to advance the plan, noting that discussions with Coventry University are already yielding results.
"We want Nigerian parents to enjoy their children being at home while still receiving a world class UK education. For too long, families have had to send their children thousands of miles away in search of quality education. We are changing that. With Coventry University Nigeria, our students will be able to earn fully accredited UK degrees at significantly lower cost, without leaving the country," Alausa stated.
The ministry explained that the initiative is intended to enable Nigerian students to access world class education locally at significantly reduced cost, strengthening skills development and improving graduate employability.
Alausa emphasised that beyond access, the project focuses on building Nigeria's human capital, developing the skills, talent, and workforce needed to drive innovation, productivity, and long term national growth.
The ministry added that, with support from the UK Department for Business and Trade, the government remains committed to expanding access to high quality, globally competitive education.
Nigeria's push for transnational education has developed through regulatory and policy steps aimed at opening the country's higher education space to foreign participation under strict oversight, with the National Universities Commission developing guidelines for the operation of transnational education in 2022.
The guidelines outline how foreign universities can collaborate with Nigerian institutions through arrangements such as branch campuses, joint degrees, and franchised programmes, designed to ensure quality assurance, protect the integrity of Nigeria's university system, and regulate the growing interest of foreign institutions seeking to operate in the country.
