Why Nigerian varsities have poor ratings – UNILAG VC

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello, has explained why the ratings of Nigerian universities are low, especially in Africa. Bello spoke on Wednesday in Lagos while unveiling the UNILAG’s 2013 convocation programmes. He identified inadequate funding, security challenges, infrastructure deficiency and the poor patronage from foreign students as some of the reasons why Nigerian universities receive poor recognition among their peers on the continent. He noted, for instance, that UNILAG at present spends 95 per cent of its monthly allocation on the payment of staff salaries and emolument and about two per cent on overhead cost. According to him, the university spends about N40m monthly on such social facilities as payment of electricity bills and another N11m on overhead cost. He said, “With these challenges, no Nigerian university will be ranked number one in Africa. Nigerian universities need financial autonomy for them to compete favourably with others from across the globe.” So far, no Nigerian university is among the top 10 ranking universities in Africa, according to the Webometric ratings. The University of Cape Town, South Africa is rated number one on the continent. Bello, who also hailed the quality of scholarship in Nigerian universities, noted that they were citadels of academic excellence. He said, The University of Lagos is continuing to witness appropriate growth and developments in all facets, particularly in infrastructure and academic leadership. Our students and staff are winning laurels, locally and internationally, depicting the academic excellence the university portrays.” He noted, for example, that some students of the university a fortnight ago participated successfully at the Shell Eco-Marathon at The Hague, Netherlands with the institution’s car, Autonov II. Meanwhile, Bello announced that 9,729 graduating students of the university would receive their degrees and certificates on June 10 and 11. Eighty-nine of the students, he said, obtained First Class Division.