Sowore Criticises Church‑Owned Universities Over High Fees

Sowore Criticises Church‑Owned Universities Over High Fees

Human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore has stirred a national debate after calling out church-owned universities in Nigeria over high tuition fees and limited access for average worshippers.

Sowore made the remarks during a recent interview on The Honest Bunch podcast, where he challenged prominent pastors and religious leaders about the affordability and accessibility of their universities. He argued that while these institutions often have large congregations, many ordinary members who contribute tithes and offerings cannot afford the high cost of education.

“You build Covenant University, and then ask poor people to come to church… you’ll go and drive them from Ajegunle with your Holy Ghost buses, but their children cannot go to Covenant University,” Sowore said, highlighting what he described as a contradiction between the outreach of megachurches and the actual social impact of their educational investments.

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Sowore’s comments have sparked a heated conversation about economic inequality and education access in Nigeria. Private church-owned universities such as Covenant University, Babcock University, Redeemer’s University, and Bowen University charge tuition fees that often exceed the annual income of many families, effectively excluding a significant portion of the population.

Supporters of Sowore’s position argue that his critique sheds light on the need for religious institutions to align their social responsibility with their educational initiatives. Critics, however, claim that operating universities requires significant resources and that high tuition fees are reflective of broader challenges in private higher education, not just church ownership.

The debate comes amid Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with education affordability, where limited capacity in federal universities and rising costs in private institutions leave many families unable to access higher education. Sowore’s remarks have renewed calls for religious institutions, policymakers, and civil society groups to explore innovative ways to make education more accessible to the country’s lower- and middle-income families.

Sowore Criticises Church‑Owned Universities Over High Fees