The Private University Sector in Nigeria: A evel lop mentalist Perspective

The purpose of this article is to place the rise of private universities in Nigeria in proper perspective as an expedient response to the collapse of the public sector, and analyse their growth and potentials and how the challenges posed by them may be addressed. The article also addresses the roles that various stakeholders including donors and the international community at large can play in strengthening and consolidating the private university sector. The article is divided into three sections. The first presents the need to rescue and salvage the university sector as the proper context within which the emergence of Private universities should be located. The second section analvses the dvnamics of private universities in terms of structuration, quality control, funding and knowledge Production potential. and the problems and challenges encountered so far in these areas. The third and final section presents the conclusions including concrete proposals on how the potentials of private universities can be actualised and consolidated.