# History of Western Education in Nigeria

> Western-style schooling in Nigeria began in 1843, when the Wesleyan Methodist Mission under Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman opened a mission school at Badagry, later reorganised as an Anglican school by the Church Missionary Society in 1845. Missionary education expanded through the colonial period, culminating in Yaba Higher College (1932/1934) and, in 1948, University College, Ibadan — Nigeria's first university.

**Category:** Science, Education & Innovation · **Updated:** 2026-07-26 19:36:35 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/history-of-western-education

## Key facts
- **First Western-style school:** 1843, Badagry — founded by the Wesleyan Methodist Mission, led by Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman
- **Original name:** "Nursery of the Infant Church"
- **Renamed:** 1845, as St. Thomas Anglican Nursery and Primary School, by Rev. Charles Gollmer of the Church Missionary Society (CMS)
- **First Christian preaching in Nigeria:** 1842, Badagry, by Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman
- **First tertiary-level institution:** Yaba Higher College — established 1932, formally opened 1934
- **First university:** University College, Ibadan, founded 1948 (see [[university-of-ibadan]])
- **As of:** 24 July 2026

## Sources
- Claims about Nigeria's first primary school fact-checked — Dubawa (Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism) (https://dubawa.org/claims-about-nigerias-first-primary-school-fact-checked/)
- Badagry on my mind — The Guardian Nigeria (https://guardian.ng/opinion/badagry-on-my-mind/)
- About Us | University of Ibadan — University of Ibadan (https://ui.edu.ng/content/about-us)
- National Policy on Education (6th Edition) — Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Republic of Nigeria (https://www.education.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NATIONAL-POLICY-ON-EDUCATION.pdf)
- Making 12-year compulsory basic education model work — The Nation Newspaper (https://thenationonlineng.net/making-12-year-compulsory-basic-education-model-work/)

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