Novena University

Novena University is the first private university in Delta State, Nigeria, located in Ogume, Ndokwa West Local Government Area. Founded in 2005 by Professor Chuks Ochonogor, the university was established to widen access to higher education for Nigerian youths and women who could not secure places in existing tertiary institutions given the limited spaces available each year. Despite its name, Novena University has no formal religious affiliation and admits a culturally diverse student body from across Nigeria. The university comprises five colleges: Natural and Applied Sciences, Social and Management Sciences, Law, Applied Health Sciences, and a Post Graduate College, with a student population that has grown to over 7,000 as of 2025.

Novena’s motto is “Knowledge through Diligence.” In 2024, the National Universities Commission granted full accreditation to the university’s Nursing degree program.