10 universities where you can run an activation
Millennials and the Gen-Z group, ages 18 – 24, is a priority for many marketers because they are a substantial number in the population and oftentimes dictate how the world should spin. In the academic year 2018/2019, Nigerian universities counted 1.8 million undergraduate students and 242,000 postgraduate students, spread across 170 Universities.
This is why brands are vying for the love of the newest shopper generation. University marketing programs allow brands to connect and engage with these young Nigerians and establish a trusty atmosphere in the process.
On-campus brand activation achieves high visibility for your brand among your core target audience. On-campus activation put you front and centre of the activity and in the direct pathway of many students. Off-campus activation may allow you a bit more creative freedom in how you engage students, without the need for a permit or a school’s guidelines.
You could sample your product, do pop-ups like outdoor cinema or shops, organise a special event, or put together a brand ambassador team. Big or large, a brand activation that connects and engages college students can drive great impact across your marketing objectives. This is why we listed these universities where you can meet and engage with a youth audience:
National Open University
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOU) is the largest university in Nigeria by number of students. In 2019, the number of all students enrolled reached 565,000. The National Open University of Nigeria is the largest open and distance learning institute on the African continent. It is based in Abuja but has several campuses spread across Nigeria. The university has a study from home policy, which many students have adopted, but still sees a large number of these students going to the campuses for lectures and other assignments or concerns.
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is a federal government research university located in Zaria, Kaduna. The university operates three main campuses: Samaru and Kongo in Zaria, and the School of Basic Studies in Funtua. There are over 90,000 students in 99 departments, people from across Nigeria and has the highest number of foreign candidates. ABU is the second-largest university in Africa after the University of Cairo in Egypt.
University of Lagos
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) currently has three Campuses in Yaba and Surulere. Two of its campuses are located in Yaba (the main campus in Akoka and the recently created campus at the former School of Radiography), its College of Medicine is located in Idi-Araba, Surulere. Its main campus is largely surrounded by the scenic view of the Lagos lagoon which sees visitors who are not even students or staff of the university. The university has over 57,000 students.
University of Benin
The University of Benin (UNIBEN) is a federal university and has 15 faculties. The university currently has two campuses and is quite popular owing to the history of the state – Edo – where it is located. UNIBEN is a large (uniRank enrollment range: 40,000-44,999 students) coeducational Nigerian higher education institution.
University of Abuja
The University of Abuja was established as a dual-mode university with the mandate to run conventional and distance learning programmes. The university has 15 faculties and a student population of 55,364. It is called the University for National Unity owing to its location in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The university is the model University in Nigeria and has developed robust developmental strategies to meet and sustain that status as a model.
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan, UI as it is fondly referred to, is the first University in Nigeria and a comprehensive citadel of learning with academic programmes in 16 faculties and over 41,743 students. The University of Ibadan Postgraduate School is, well-acknowledged within and outside the country as one of the largest in Africa and the flagship of Postgraduate Education in Nigeria as it produces the much required human resources for the entire Nigerian University system, the Nigerian public and private sectors and beyond.
University of Nigeria
The University of Nigeria, commonly referred to as UNN, is a federal university located in Nsukka, Enugu. UNN is the first full-fledged indigenous and first autonomous university in Nigeria. The university has 15 Faculties and 102 academic departments. The university has four campuses – Nsukka (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN), Enugu (University of Nigeria Enugu campus, UNEC), Ituku-Ozalla (University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH) and Aba (University of Nigeria Aba campus, UNAC). UNN has over 36,000 students.
Covenant University
Covenant University is a private Pentecostal Christian University, and one of the leading universities in Africa found on Christian mission ethos. The university has four colleges which include College of Business and Social Sciences; College of Leadership and Development Studies; College of Engineering, and College of Science and Technology. Covenant University has over 8,768 students.
Federal University of Technology
The Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure, was established to promote technological advancement by providing a conducive environment for research, teaching and learning engenders the development of products that are technologically oriented, self-reliant and relevant to society. The university has 9 Schools and has about 20,000-24,999 students.
University of Ilorin
The University of Ilorin, Kwara, possess over 48,000 undergraduates and over 5,000 postgraduate students in 90 academic programmes across fifteen (15) faculties. The university was revealed by JAMB to be the most sought after university in 2021. The University of Ilorin is one of the foremost universities in sub-Saharan African with uninterrupted academic programme for over 16 years.
