The head of a Nigerian academic union has spoken out against British universities opening campuses in the country while Nigerians are being denied visas to study in the UK. This comes after Coventry University confirmed that it is in talks to establish a presence in Lagos.

In 2023, the Nigerian government published new guidelines on transnational education (TNE), opening the way for the establishment of foreign branch campuses in the West African country.

Coventry has confirmed that it is looking into launching TNE operations in Nigeria but stopped short of committing to opening a branch campus, despite this being suggested by ministers. Although several British universities have partnerships with Nigerian institutions, none have yet opened a physical base in the country. 

“We have held early, productive conversations with the Nigerian government about delivering our TEF gold standard teaching in the country,” a spokesperson from Coventry said. 

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The university already operates campuses in countries including Kazakhstan, Egypt and Morocco, and its latest potential venture appears to have support from the Nigerian government. 

Nigerian president Bola Tinubu and education minister Tunki Alausa met representatives from the university while on a trip to the UK last month.

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At the time, Alausa wrote on X: “We are already making real progress – advancing a major partnership with Coventry University to bring UK degrees to Nigeria.”

He added that “Coventry University Nigeria” would allow students “to earn fully accredited UK degrees – at significantly lower cost – without leaving the country”. 

He said that the proposed campus would be based in Lagos, and would offer bachelor’s and master’s programmes with admissions expected to begin at the end of the year, subject to approval. 

“We want Nigerian parents to enjoy having their children at home, while still receiving a world-class UK education,” he wrote. 

But the news has sparked a backlash among academics in Nigeria. 

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, Chris Piwuna, president of the the Academic Staff Union of Universities, described the move as an attempt at “recolonisation”. 

He said: “Coventry University reportedly has a deficit of about £58 million and has recorded a 43 per cent drop in African student enrolment. They are cutting costs and staff, projecting about £100 million in reductions over the next two years.

“They are now coming to Nigeria to establish a university. They deny our people visas to study abroad, yet they want to come here and take our money. That is unacceptable.”

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Refusal rates for UK study visas from Nigeria peaked in 2025 at the highest level seen in almost a decade. The previous UK government also banned international students from bringing dependants with them from 2024 – a decision that led to a significant drop in the number of applications from Nigerian students. 

But Nigerian students still made up the fourth largest cohort by nationality of those granted visas to study in the UK in 2025, with 30,204 visas approved.

“We are an economic development partner and our transnational educational model is about addressing local education and skills needs,” a Coventry spokesperson said. 

“We work collaboratively with local partners to offer choices to students who perhaps cannot – or do not wish to – come to UK.”

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helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com