HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING IN NIGERIA: THE CASE OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA
HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING IN NIGERIA: THE CASE OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA
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Date
1993-05
Authors
IDRIS, Ibrahim Mohammed
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
In a recent study by Dr. Pius Okigbo it was
revealed that in 1979 a university student
cost the public purse some 80,869. Indeed
a1location to one student rose to 87,676 in 1980
in nominal terms. Last year (1990) it had
fluctuated to 84,452. In real terms, however,
the allocation was only 8536. By the same
study each student is supposed to cost the
public purse about 848,482 i.e. to cater for
his feeding, medicare and books.
In the past ten or so years there have been
complains that the level of education financing by
Government in general and that of university
education in particular is far from adequate.
This situation according to many is partly
responsible for the falling standard of education
in Nigeria.
This research looks at the problems of financing
university education in Nigeria with a view to
identifying the areas that need to be addressed
and offer possible solutions. The Ahmadu Bello
University is used as a case study. The financial
operations of the University are examined for the
period from its inception in 1962 to 1992 with a
view to establishing whether or not it has been
funded adequately.
v
Except for the two Universities at Ibadan and
Lagos all the other four First Generation
Universities were established owned and funded by
the former Regions. The other two were owned and
funded by the Government of the Federation. This
situation continued from 1962 until 1975 when the
Federal Government of General Hurtala Mohammed
took over the other four Regional Universities.
Between 1975 and 1992 not only did the Federal
Government took full responsibility of these
Universities but the Country witnessed an
unprecedented plorifiration of Universities from
six to thirty two.
Twenty of them are Federal while nine are states
owned. This means there are more Universities
than the thirty states in the Country.
The case of Ahmadu Bello University is examined in
detail in chapter three. In this chapter,
the University's sources of finance are looked
into vis-a-vis Government Grants and Internal
Revenue. Grants from the Northern Regional
Government and later Interim Common Services
Agency (ICSA) from University's establishment to
1975 and Grants from the Federal Government from
1975 to 1980 are considered. The University went
from full funding during the period 1962 - 1975 to
as low as 48% of its requirement in 1979.
vi
The research also focust attention on the efforts
made by the University towards generating Internal
Revenue to supplement its fast dwindling
Government Grants. Revenue generating ventures
were established by the University towards this
objective.
The financial operations of these companies are
examined with a view to ascertain their
performances in terms of profitability and
financial contributions to the University.
A complete financial analysis is made for the
University for a ten years period (1983 - 1992) in
chapter four. This covers both Government Grants
and Internal Revenue. Although the University was
found to have been able to generate the minimum
10% of its recurrent expenditure internally,
government grant fell short of the expected 90%.
Indeed, in 1991 the grants recorded the lowest
ever at 58% of the recurrent expend!ture.
Although the University efforts towards internal
revenue generation continue to yield results,
the quantum of its financial needs outgrows
the internal revenue level.
Description
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA.
Keywords
HIGHER,, EDUCATION,, FINANCING,, NIGERIA, Case,, AHMADU, BELLO,, UNIVERSITY,, ZARIA.