Studies of academic freedom have mostly focussed on Europe and North America. Yet, any
consideration of the societal crises in Africa cannot ignore the collapse of its universities and
the very concept of academic freedom on the continent. Much had been expected of the
universities. In Africa, the early post-independence universities took off on internationally
competitive and solid foundations—thanks to the heritages and traditions bequeathed them by
the colonial powers that established them. In these societies, the expectations associated with
the formation and performance of the universities have their foundations in the historical
evidence furnished by the definitions of success in the West. However, the postcolonial
orientations of the universities in Africa have proceeded along different pathways. Ideas taken
from one milieu to another can develop in unpredictable ways and may satisfy needs other than
those served in their places of origin. Institutions transplanted from one society can be
influenced by the practices prevalent in the receiving societies. The forces acting upon such
interactions are complex. The resultant transformative impacts are also unpredictable. An
appreciation of context is therefore compelling. This article discusses the crisis in Nigeria’s
political economy and its continued impact on the public universities from the late 1980s to the
2020s