Marketing Mix, a Therapy for low Enrolment in Private Universities in Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Marketing Mix, a Therapy for low Enrolment in Private Universities in Nigeria

Stephen Olugbenga Afolabi¹, Timothy G. Oyewole², Samuel Adewale Oladiipo³, Damian Brownson Uwachukwu⁴

^1,3,4Department of Business Administration, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria
²Department of Accounting and Finance, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria

Abstract:-Enrolment of students has become a challenge to the ever increasing number of private universities in Nigeria. Hence, the focus of this study is to prove the suitability of marketing theory in determination of student’s choice and improved enrolment into Private Universities in Nigeria. There are two major contrasting attitudes regarding introducing marketing into higher education although literature on marketing higher education is mainly based in Western contexts and cultures, nevertheless, it is ripe for developing economy like ours because of what it stands to gain. Reasons that make marketing an important aspect in reflecting positively on an institution and the community are highlighted. It also highlights the paucity of literature combining strategies of marketing higher education and student choice of university. However, because of the service nature of private universities they are recommended to integrate the use of a set of 11ps of marketing toward achieving their marketing goal in this particular order: price, plus, programme, people, place, physical facility, politics, processes, post sale service, packaging and promotion.

Key words: Enrolment, marketing mix, higher education, private university and competitions

I. INTRODUCTION

The federal government of Nigeria licensed private universities to cushion the effect of growing population which leads to higher demand for higher education and to fill the vacuum created by government’s inability to cater for higher education need of the nation. The development was greeted with mixed feelings because some scholars believe that university education is sacred, therefore, must not be deregulated while others opined that it was the best thing that has happened to the education sector in Nigeria because the private providers will have to compete for student enrolment among themselves, and will also set government on its toes by the state-of-the-art facilities provided in their institutions.

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