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Paper short abstract

Decolonising knowledge in Nigerian universities by integrating African indigenous educational systems to promote culturally grounded learning, sustainable development, and context-relevant skills for students in contemporary higher education.

Paper long abstract

Higher education in Nigeria has historically been shaped by Western epistemological frameworks introduced during the colonial period. While these frameworks have facilitated formal knowledge production, they often marginalize African indigenous educational systems, which are rooted in communal learning, oral traditions, apprenticeship, ethical formation, and practical skills. This paper explores the potential of integrating African indigenous educational systems into tertiary education as a strategy for decolonising knowledge and promoting sustainable development.

Drawing on historical and contemporary scholarship, the study examines the philosophical foundations, pedagogical approaches, and content of indigenous education, demonstrating how these systems foster critical thinking, social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and self-reliance. It argues that incorporating these principles into university curricula can produce graduates better equipped to address Nigeria’s socio-economic, environmental, and cultural challenges.

The paper also highlights challenges to such integration, including epistemic bias, rigid curricula, policy neglect, and perceptions of indigenous knowledge as informal or secondary. It contends that meaningful decolonisation requires deliberate institutional reforms, recognition of indigenous knowledge as valid and dynamic, and the creation of hybrid curricula that balance African and Western knowledge systems.

The study concludes that embedding African indigenous educational practices in tertiary institutions can strengthen cultural identity, enhance context-relevant learning, and contribute to sustainable development. Rather than displacing Western knowledge, this approach advocates a complementary model that reclaims African epistemologies while preparing graduates for contemporary challenges in Nigeria and beyond.

Keywords: Indigenous education; Decolonising knowledge; Tertiary education; Sustainable development; Nigeria