Madonna University

Madonna University, Nigeria is a private Catholic university founded on 10 May 1999 by Very Rev. Fr. Prof. E.M.P. Edeh, CSSp, OFR, who had earlier founded Our Saviour Institute of Science and Technology in Enugu. Its take-off campus was in Okija, Anambra State, and that year it became both the first private Catholic university in the West African sub-region and the first private university approved by Nigeria’s Federal Government. The university’s central management relocated to a new campus in Elele, Rivers State, in 2004, and a third campus in Akpugo, Enugu State, dedicated to engineering and technology, came into full operation in 2011. Madonna offers programs across faculties including Management and Social Sciences, Arts and Education, and Law (Okija); Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, and Health Sciences (Elele); and Engineering (Akpugo), with a student population of roughly 12,000-15,000.

Madonna’s motto is „Dignitas Scientiae et Moralis“ („Decency in Education and Morals“). It is a member of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), operates a 100% boarding system for all students, and was the first private university in Nigeria to produce licensed medical doctors. The university celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 2024.