There are many tertiary education institutions in Nigeria. They are the types as you could find at many other places around the world.

While some of this institutions are broad in the varieties of training offer and the types of qialification awarded, many are specialised institutions with focus on certain area of educational training each back by the appropriate laws that guide them in discharging their duties.

On this page are described three post secondary schools institutions where students are trained in engineering and technology in Nigeria.

University Institutions

The universities or any other degree award institution in Nigeria are regulated by the National University Commission (NUC), a Federal Government Agency that was established in 1962.

The university is the highest education institution in Nigerian awarding various degree qualification on various programmes ranging from engineering to social sciences to physical sciences, to management sciences, education and medical sciences. Just like any other countries of the world, the higher qualification one can earn from a university in Nigeria is a Doctorate Degree (DD)

The engineering programmes in the university system in Nigeria lasted at least five (5) years while other programmes are done for four (4) years and that is for those admitted with just secondary school qualification. The university system in Nigeria will get you trained in any field of an engineering discipline you so desired to do, be it Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Agricultural Engineering and more. As at the time of this posting Nigerian universities offer about forty (40) different enginering programmes awarding five different types of qualifications.

The Polytechnic Institution.

Polytechnic Education System is established in Nigeria with the purpose of providing courses and training in technology, applied sciences, management and commercial thereby boosting the middle and high class manpower availablity in Nigeria.

The Polytechnic system of exudation doesn't run it's courses concurrently. The first two years is devoted to study for National Diploma (ND) after which a one year break is observed to enable students participate in Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). After the SIWES another two years are spent to complete Higher National Diploma (HND)

The approval for the establishment and the drafting of the curriculum for the polytechnics in Nigeria is facilitated by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). No course could be taught or withdrawn from any polytechnic without the approval of this government agency.

The act for the establishment of polytechnic allow the Federal Government, State Government and private organisations to own and operate a polytechnic in Nigeria offering pre-ND, National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and post-HND courses. Where there is a report of some polytechnics awarding a degree on some courses, they do so in conjunction with a government approved university. The law allow this.

In Polytechnic students are also trained in Automotive Engineering, Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering Technology and so on.

Technical School

The third tertiary institution where engineering and technology are taught in Nigeria is Technical School, the activities of which is also control by the NBTE. This institution is a vocational training school backed by the law of the land offering courses like auto-mechanics or automotive mechanic, auto-electrician, plumbing, bricklaying air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanic and so on.

A course at the technical school lasted at least three years after which a Diploma Certificate or Trade Test Certificate is awarded to the successful students.

A qualification earn at the technical school could be used to pursue further education at any of the polytechnics in Nigeria in the field of engineering and technology disciplines.

Products of the technical schools are the ones some companies usually employ as fitter mechanics in Nigeria. Their training requires a lot of the hand on work and industrial training.

There are many other higher education institutions in Nigeria like School of Nursing, Teacher Training College (NCE) and Grade 2 Teacher Training College but the three institutions mentioned above are where a student could be get trained in engineering and technology disciplines.