FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA BY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

As a result of new government initiatives, private universities are sprouting in Nigeria. These institutions, which supplement higher education, are now faced with the problem of attracting enough students. The study looked at the factors that influence students' decision to enrol in a private institution in Nigeria and the amount to which these factors influence their decision. The study also looks into whether there are any major differences in the elements students consider while choosing a university based on their demographic traits. For this study, the primary research approach was descriptive survey research. With a total student enrolment of 5,590, Al-Hikmah University was chosen as the case study for private universities in Nigeria, and the first-year students with an enrollment of 1450 were used as the research population. A total of 300 students were used in the study. A structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.95 was utilized as the tool. The data were examined using descriptive statistics, and the hypotheses were tested using T-value statistics at the 0.05 level of significance. Affordability offers of the desired program, reputation/academic quality, the flexibility of schedule, hands-on learning/real-world experience in curriculum, location/security, and availability of facilities are the seven (7) major factors that influence students' choice of private universities in Nigeria, according to the findings of this research study. The study also demonstrates that male and female students have very different perspectives on the primary elements that impact students' decisions to attend private institutions in Nigeria. The findings of this study will help private institutions have a better knowledge of what students value when deciding which private university to attend, and then make any necessary changes and adjustments, as well as improve academic quality, to increase student enrollmen