Issues Associated With Covid-19 and Its Consequences on University Education in Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose of the study: This study explored the various issues associated with covid-19 as well as the consequences of the pandemic focusing on university education in Nigeria.
Methodology: Using a literature review methodology, this study uses a qualitative descriptive-analytical technique. Secondary sources include scholarly publications, journal articles, and historical assessments, while primary sources include Sharma and Veer's work on the actions and issues surrounding the Covid19 outbreak and Sanz et al.'s study on the effects of the coronavirus crisis on schooling.
Main Findings: According to the study, the pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in the manner that university education is delivered in Nigeria overall, and as Nigerian universities lack a contingency plan, they must switch to an electronic form of instruction. In particular, the study discovered that the pandemic had negatively impacted student welfare and caused a discernible rise in both unintended pregnancies and school dropout rates.
Novelty/Originality of this study: Nigerian institutions lack face-to-face interaction in all its forms, and students' lives are rearranged against their desire to socialize with their classmates on campus during the pandemic. Introduction of a new standard learning platform that uses technology to replace the university's current traditional learning mode.
References
Worldometer, “2021 COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.” 2021, doi: 10.4236/
P. Sharma, and K. Veer, “Actions and problems related to the Covid19 outbreak in India,” 2020, doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.19521.68969.
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, “Crisis-sensitive educational planning,” Paris: UNESCO, pp. 440 – 462, 2020, doi: 10.18356/9789216040048c005
Premium Times Nigeria, “Coronavirus: NUC announces closure of Nigerian universities,” 2020.
J. W. Creswell. “Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches 3rd ed,” 2009, Sage, doi: 10.4135/9781452275670.
F. Malahati, P. Jannati, Q. Qathrunnada, and S. Shaleh, “Kualitatif: Memahami Karakteristik Penelitian Sebagai Metodologi,” Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 341–348, 2023, doi: 10.18196/jkm.121035
J. E. Ugege, U. P. Okoye, E. F. Obainoke, and O. C. Nwaka-Nwandu, “ Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on student academic performance in Nigeria tertiary institutions,” 2025.
M. N. Yakubu, and S. Dasuki, “Assessing eLearning systems success in Nigeria: An application
of the DeLone and McLean information systems success model, Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, vol. 17, pp. 182-202, 2018, doi: 10.28945/4077
J. Lindzon, :School closures are starting, and they'll have far-reaching economic impacts. Fast Company,” 2020.
C. Impey, ”Coronavirus: social distancing is delaying vital scientific research. The Conversation,” 2020, doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-310774/v1
D. L. Yinka, and A. Adebayo, “COVID-19 is exacerbating the problem of educational inequity in Nigeria. Teach For Nigeria Fellowship Programme,” Op-Ed Contributor, vol. 18, no.4, 76 – 93, 2020, doi: 10.56059/pcf10.9998.
N. Nicola, Z. Alsafi, C. Sohrabi, A. Kerwan, A. Al-Jabir, C. Iosifidis, M. Agha, and R. Agha, “The socioeconomic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): A review,” International Journal of Surgery, vol. 78, pp. 185-193, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.04.018
A. S. Adebowale, A. F. Fagbamigbe, J. O. Akinyemi, O. K., Obisesan, E. J., Awosanya, R. F., Afolabi, S. A. Alarape, and S. O. Obabiyi, S. O., “The spread of COVID-19 outbreak in the first 120 days: A comparison between Nigeria and seven other countries,” BMC Public Health, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 93 – 101, 2020, doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-10149-x.
S. O. Usman, S. E. Obi, M. N. Ibrahim, and A. V. Daniel, A.V, “An assessment of COVID-19 and its impact on Nigeria’s socio-economic,” Cogent Social Science, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1-25, 2024, doi: 10.47772/IJRISS.2024.803104
J. A. M. Chavez1, Y. Ocana-Fernandez, S. L. Romero, J. A. Flores; and Y. C. Uribe-Hernandez. “Educational inequality before and during the covid-19 pandemic in social and virtuality”, NeuroQuantology, vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 514-524, doi: 10.14704/nq.2022.20.5.NQ22203
O. F. Saani, and A. E. Sanni, “Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nigeria’s Higher Education System. In (eds) Jurgen Rudolph, Joseph Crawford, Choon-Yin Sam and Shannon Tam.” The Palgrave Handbook of Crisis Leadership in Higher Education, 2024 doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-54509-2_23
World Bank Group, “The Covid-19 Pandemic: Shock to Education and Policy Responses,” World Bank Group Education, 2020.
S. K. Wahab, A. A. Bello, and L. S. Saadatu, “Post Covid-19 Crisis: Effects and Transformation of Tertiary Education System in Nigeria,” International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, vol. IV, no. IX, pp. 174 -178, 2020.
C. Bungau, A. P. Pop, and A. Borza, “Dropout of first year undergraduate students: A case study of engineering students. 8th Balkan Region Conference on Engineering and Business Education, Sibiu Romania,” 2017
M. O. Edeh, C. E., Nwafor, F. A., Obafemi, S. Shuvro, F. G Atonye, A. Sharma, and O. A. Alhuseen, “Impact of coronavirus pandemic on education,” Journal of Education and Practice, vol. 11, no. 13, 108-121, 2020, doi: 10.7176/JEP/11-13-12
The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, “COVID-19 and Child, Early and Force Marriage: An Agenda for Action,” Girls Not Brides, pp. 1 – 6, 2020
K. Burzynska, and G. Contreras, “Gendered effects of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic,” The Lancet, vol. 395, pp. 1968-1968, 2020, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31377-5
R. R. Aliyyah, R., Rachmadtullah, A., Samsudin, E., Syaodih, M. Nurtanto, and A. R. S Tambunan, “The perceptions of primary school teachers of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A case study in Indonesia ” Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, vol. 7, pp. 90-109, 2020, doi: 10.29333/ejecs/388
M. A. Dvorkin, “Which jobs have been hit hardest by COVID-19?” 2020.
M. M. Ferreyra, C. Avitabile, A. J. Botero, P. F. Haimovich and S. Urzúa, “At a Cross roads: Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Washington, DC: World Bank, 2017, doi: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1014-5
A. B. Adebakin, O. T. Ajadi, and S. O. Subair, “Required and possessed graduate employability skills: Perception of the Nigerian employers,” World Journal of Education, vol. 5. no. 2, pp. 115-121, 2015, doi: 10.5430/wje.v5n2p115
[ C. Chao-chen Chen, C. C. HSU, and H. Jia-Fei, Hong and H.Yan-Nau, “COVID-19: A distance learning experience and reflection at Ntnu, Contemporary Educational Research Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 1-23, 2021, doi: 10.6151/CERQ.202103_29(1).0001
O. T. Ajadi, “Private cost of university education and academic performance of undergraduates in selected Universities in Southwestern Nigeria,” Madibbo Adama Journal of Science, Technology and Vocational Education (M-JOSTEVE), vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 302 -317, 2017.
L. Watts, “Synchronous and asynchronous communication in distance learning: A review of the literature: Quarterly Review of Distance Education, vol. 17. no. 1, 23-32, 2016, doi: 10.46827/ejes
M. Hastie, I. C., Hung, N. S., Chen and Kinsuk, “A blended synchronous learning model for educational international collaboration,” Innovations in Education and Teaching International, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 9–24, 2010. doi: 10.1080/14703290903525812.
C. Pimmer, M. Mateescu, and U. Gröhbiel, “Mobile and ubiquitous learning in higher education settings. A systematic review of empirical studies,” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 63, 490-501, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.057
S. O. Subair, and O. T. Ajadi, Inter University teaching exchange programme in Southwestern Nigerian Universities. The Quarterly Journal of Administration, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 147-165, 2013
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, “Education at a glance, 2017 OECD indicators., 2017, doi: 10.1787/eag-2017-en
The Chinese Government, “Number of students enrolled at colleges and universities in China,” 2025.
A. A. Adebayo, “Implications of “Boko Haram” terrorism on national development in Nigeria: A critical review.” Mediterranean Journal of Social Science, vol. 5, no. 16, pp. 480–489, 2014
Copyright (c) 2025 Olugbenga Timothy Ajadi, Adeola Oyebisi Egbedokun
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and acknowledge that the Indonesian Journal of Education Research (IJoER) is the first publisher licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges and earlier and greater citation of published work.
.png)
.png)
