The Catchment Policy in Nigeria: Towards Mediocrity in Nigerian University Admission

• In Event: Power, Policy, and Belonging in Higher Education

Abstract

The federal government of Nigeria framed the catchment policy and the quota system to close the seeming dichotomy between the educationally developed states and educationally less developed states in Nigeria. The policy ensures that prospective students are considered for admission based on their place of origin. Students have been profiled and restricted from seeking admission in some public universities in Nigeria and not others. This review, therefore, examines the effects of this policy on national cohesion and development using the social justice framework, especially now that Nigeria is divided along political, ethnic, and religious lines. This study reviews literature randomly selected from 2016 to 2025 to better understand the policy and its effects in Nigeria. Implications and findings are offered.

Author

• Victor Pascal Mayaki, Florida International University