Growth of private higher education in Somalia and reflections on the emerging risks and equity concerns

The expansion of higher education in Somalia has been driven largely by private-sector initiatives that emerged after the collapse of public higher education during the 1991–2011 civil wars. While this growth contributed to increased enrolment in university education, the sector’s evolution has been characterised by weak state capacity, insecurity, and limited regulatory oversight. This article explored the growth of private higher education (PHE) in Somalia through the lens of Risk Management Theory. The focus was on the risks related to quality, governance, sustainability, and equity that continue to shape PHE in Somalia. The study employed a mixed-methods design, involving a survey of 44 universities to collect institutional records and interviews with university leaders, and document reviews. Additionally, the study conducted interviews with university regulators across Somaliland, Puntland, and South Central Somalia. The findings reveal that PHE is a dominant player in the provision of higher education in Somalia contributing significantly to expanding educational opportunities. However, its growth has been hampered by systemic and institutional risks that threaten its very contribution. There were weak regulatory structures, owner-dominated governance structures, and the absence of comprehensive quality assurance mechanisms, which exposed PHE institutions to governance and accountability risks. For instance, the sector relied on tuition fees as its primary source of income, heavily depended on part-time academic staff, and made limited investments in research. Research productivity remained extremely low, reflecting broader challenges in academic capacity, knowledge generation, and innovation. Furthermore, the student–staff ratio was competitive. However, the widespread use of short-term contracts and limited staff development opportunities created human capital and operational risks. There were also equity concerns, partly due to overreliance on households’ capacity to raise tuition fees and the absence of a national student financing system, which increased the likelihood of non-enrollment among economically disadvantaged groups, such as poor households and rural marginalized communities. The spread of PHE institutions in Somalia highlighted geographic risks, as more than half were located in the Capital City, Mogadishu. This restricted participation among rural populations, reinforcing the regional disparities that university education was supposed to address. Inclusivity in access to university opportunities was at risk due to widespread gender inequalities in student enrolment and completion rates at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in academic staffing, and in leadership positions. These findings suggested that the risks facing PHE in Somalia extended beyond institutional quality to encompass broader challenges of equity and long-term sustainability. We therefore conclude that strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving governance and accountability systems, investing in academic and research capacity, and implementing targeted inclusion policies would support the use of PHE in post-conflict reconstruction and sustainable development.