15 Best courses to study in Nigeria (2024)

Best courses to study in Nigeria in 2024 

Are you about to choose a course to study at a university here in Nigeria?

This blog post will provide a detailed answer to the question, ‘What’s the best course to study in Nigeria?’

Hi, my name is Olubunmi and I’m here to help you make an informed choice of study for a great career shortly.

The truth is, that there are hundreds of courses available across universities and polytechnics in Nigeria. But not all of these courses are easily marketable in today’s tech-driven job market.

As a young person looking to gain admission to a university or polytechnic, you need to do your research to ensure that you choose the right course before proceeding to pay your first school fees.

See Also: Best online universities in Nigeria 

Yes, some courses may promise good jobs but your interest in a chosen course also matters because, at some points, it’s your passion that will motivate you to work not money.

Without further ado, below are the best courses to study in Nigeria.

Please note that this list is not in any order of importance. The fact that I chose to discuss the 15 best courses to study in Nigeria does not mean that all other courses outside these are bad. So, discretion should be applied.

Best courses to study in Nigeria 2023-2024 

1. Table of Contents

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   Computer Science 

Computer Science is one of the best courses you can study now, not just in Nigeria, but even anywhere in the world.

A degree in Computer Science could help you build a successful career.

Computer Science career opportunities include Software Developer, Software Engineer, Computer Programmer, ‎Security Analyst, Network Systems Administrator and Database Administrator.

All these are sought-after professionals who are some of the highest-paid in the world presently.

See Also: Best online jobs for students in Nigeria

To be able to study Computer Science you need Five SSC credit passes including English Language, Mathematics and at least three of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Additional/Further Mathematics.

2. Pharmacy 

If you are in the sciences, Pharmacy is one of the best courses you can study at the undergraduate level.

As a certified pharmacist, you can work for top pharmaceutical companies or manufacturers. You can decide to start your pharmaceutical firm with your license.

Pharmacists can also work with international organizations and agencies. The career options for pharmacists are endless, making it one of the best courses to study in Nigeria.

If you wish to study pharmacy, you are expected to have five Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, alongside a very high JAMB score.

See Also: Best businesses to do as a student in Nigeria 

3. Medicine

Medicine remains one of the leading courses any student can study in Nigeria. There is still a massive rush to gain admission to study Medicine.

Thousands of undergrads in Nigeria yearly choose Medicine as their preferred course.

However, the prospects for Nigerian Medical doctors practicing in Nigeria are not so fantastic presently.

Thankfully, there is a prospect of working in the UK, US, Canada, or other top countries if you qualify as a medical doctor here in Nigeria. All you need is to sit for and pass some professional exams and voila!

Jobs directly related to medicine degree include Cardiologist, Clinical radiologist, General practice doctor, Hospital doctor, Physician associate and Psychiatrist as well as Healthcare scientist, genomics, Higher education lecturer and Paramedic.

4. Best courses to study in Nigeria in 2024 – English

This may surprise you, but English is one of the best courses you can study in Nigeria.

According to a report by statista.com, in 2022, there were around 1.5 billion people worldwide who spoke English either natively or as a second language.

This represents about 15% of the world population, making English Language skills highly demanded.

The skills you gain through studying English are marketable in most sectors. You can work in a multinational firm here in Nigeria secure a job or even get opportunities to work abroad.

Some of the job opportunities are working as a public relations officer at a PR agency, copywriter at an advertising agency, journalist (print or broadcasting); author/writer, freelance copywriter librarian, lecturing job, journalist executive, sales expert, announcer voice-over artists, education, paralegal, consultant, interpreter/translator, etc.

5. Economics

If you want to go into the social sciences, then Economics is one of your best choices.

Economics students will develop their problem-solving, data analysis, computing and written and oral presentation skills, and all abilities that are highly regarded and sought after in today’s economic climate.

This course is one of the courses that have more job opportunities.

Economists can work in any financial setting from banks to auditing firms, etc. The career options for economists are many and that’s why the course is very competitive in Nigerian universities.

You’ll need to have Five SSC credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Economics and any two (2) Arts or Social Science subjects and a very high JAMB and post JAMB score to qualify.

6. Law

This is another sought-after course in Nigeria.

Law is highly regarded with the students developing transferable skills like research, logical and analytical thinking, interpretation and explanation of critical subjects, etc.

Law students have clear postgraduate options such as LLM, LPC, and BPTC. Law degree holders work as barristers, chartered legal executives or solicitors, or other careers in the courtroom.

If you graduate as a very smart Lawyer, you will be able to fix yourself a suitable job soon. Interning at a good law firm would also help.

7. Business administration

This is another great course to study. If you can further to get an MBA, you’ll become a hot cake.

Business Admin as it is often called covers various areas of business in relevance to management analysis and strategy.

Prospects for MBAs include Investment Banking Management Consulting, Private Equity, Data analytics, Banking & Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Information System Management.

8. Mass communication

If you love the media and related jobs, then Mass Communication might just be the right choice of course for you among the other art courses I have mentioned here.

There are many aspects you can focus on in Mass Communication such as Advertising, Journalism, Public relations, Audio media (radio), Convergence, Corporate communications, integrated communication, Film and television, marketing, photography, etc.

As a Mass Communication graduate, what are the job prospects for you? They are quite a handful.

Some of the job prospects for Mass communication graduates are Journalism – Investigative journalism, Broadcast journalism, Sports journalism, Trade journalism, Entertainment journalism, Opinion journalism, etc.

Best courses to study in Nigeria 2023-2024

9. Accounting and finance

Here is another good course to study in Nigeria.

Accounting and Finance will help you craft unique perspectives and knowledge on economics, mathematics, political science, psychology, and sociology.

Accountants are some of the most sought-after professionals anywhere in the world.

Job prospects for outstanding accounting and finance graduates include financial manager, personal financial advisor, management consultant, financial analyst, accountant, etc.

What is the requirement to study Law in Nigeria?

A minimum of 5 credits in your O’levels core courses, Mathematics, English Language Literature in English and any two Arts or Social Science subjects (Government, Economics, and Commerce, etc.).

10. Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering is one of the most useful courses to study.

Why do I say so? Civil engineering is a discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment.

It includes works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings.

Civil engineers design, build, supervise, operate, and maintain construction projects and systems in the public and private sectors.

Gaining lots of experience along with earning good fortune makes civil Engineering a popular degree.

11. Nursing

There are over 27.9 million registered nurses in the workforce globally as of 2020 according to a report by icn.ch. This huge number tells you that the profession is really in high demand.

However, that number is still very low when compared to the human population of 8 billion. What this means is that there is a great need for more nurses everywhere in the world.

This makes nursing a marketable course you can study in Nigeria in 2023-2024 with a high prospect of working in a developed world.

12. Medical Laboratory Science

Without mincing words, Medical Lab Science is one of the best courses to study in Nigeria if you are in the biosciences.

The study may not be so prestigious but it promises you job opportunities more than possibly any course you can study in the sciences.

A medical laboratory scientist or clinical laboratory scientist or medical technologist performs diagnostic testing of blood and body fluids in clinical laboratories.

13. Education

Education courses are underrated in Nigeria. Education courses offer a wide variety of career opportunities.

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.

Graduates have filled a range of different job opportunities such as early year teacher, Education Administrator, Secondary school teacher, Special educational needs teacher, Teaching assistant, Learning mentor, and Primary school teacher. Opportunities to work abroad also abound.

14. Psychology

One of the highest-paid professionals, a Psychology degree develops your critical thinking skills enhancing decision-making and power-solving abilities. Psychology is a social science that explores the behaviour and mind of thoughts and conscious and unconscious behaviour of individuals or groups.

The most popular work areas are clinical psychology, Counselling psychology, Educational psychology, Forensic psychology, Further education teaching, Health psychology, High-intensity therapy, and Occupational psychology.

15. Physiotherapy

This is yet another one of the best courses to study in Nigeria.

Physiotherapists are one of the highest-paid jobs in the UK, for instance. They are also sought-after in many developed countries like the US and Canada.

This is an energetic healthcare profession that treats diseases and injuries with a physical approach. Physiotherapists usually work within National Hospitals or in private sectors and private companies. The Graduate Prospects for Physiotherapy students are impressively high worldwide.