Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB)

The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) is the flagship federal university in northeastern Nigeria, established by the Federal Government in 1975 to serve as a centre of academic excellence for the region. Located in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, UNIMAID carries the institutional designation "UNIMAID" and is the largest and most prestigious university in the northeast geopolitical zone. The university was established to bridge the educational gap between Nigeria's north and south and to serve as a catalyst for development in one of the country's most culturally diverse and historically significant regions. UNIMAID enrols approximately 25,000 students across 12 faculties and one college, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in agriculture, arts, medicine, engineering, law, pharmacy, science, social science, veterinary medicine, and education. The university has navigated significant challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, yet has continued to operate and produce graduates who contribute to national development. UNIMAID has a strong research focus in conflict resolution, Lake Chad basin ecology, Islamic studies, and tropical agriculture — areas of particular relevance to the northeast region.

Al-Ansar University Maiduguri (AUM) is the first and only private university in Borno State, established by the Al-Ansar Foundation on 6 April 2020 and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in December 2020. Located in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, AUM was founded with the deliberate mission of promoting western (secular) education in a region that has been significantly affected by the anti-western-education ideology of the Boko Haram insurgency. The university's establishment was hailed as a landmark moment for education in northeast Nigeria, representing a vote of confidence in Maiduguri's stability and the commitment of local philanthropists and civil society to rebuilding the region through knowledge. Prof. Abubakar Musa Kundiri, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Gashua, was appointed as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor in 2022. AUM offers undergraduate programmes in sciences, social and management sciences, and arts and humanities, with plans to expand into postgraduate and professional programmes.

Kashim Ibrahim University (KIU), formerly known as Borno State University (BOSU), is the state university of Borno State, established in 2016 by the Borno State Government to expand access to higher education for the growing population of certificate holders in the northeast. The university is located in Maiduguri and was officially renamed Kashim Ibrahim University by Governor Babagana Zulum, effective 4 August 2025, in honour of Sir Kashim Ibrahim (1910–1990), the first Governor of Northern Nigeria and a pioneer of education in the north. The university is accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in sciences, social sciences, management, arts, engineering, health sciences and Islamic studies. KIU is committed to producing graduates who combine academic excellence with practical skills and community service, with a particular emphasis on development challenges facing the northeast region.