The University of Benin - also known as UNIBEN - is one of the country's major universities.
The university was founded in 1970 by the military government of Samuel Ogbemudia

Samuel Ogbemudia

Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia is a Nigerian former army officer and politician. He was military Governor of the Mid-West State, later renamed Bendel State, part of which in turn became Edo State. After the return to democracy in 1999, he became a power in the Peoples Democratic Party...

.
It teaches in a broad range of subjects, including a medical school

Medical school

A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...

. It has a student enrollment of approximately 50,000.

In 1985, Grace Alele-Williams

Grace Alele-Williams

Grace Alele-Williams, made history as the first Nigerian woman to become the head of a Nigerian university, the University of Benin....

 became Nigeria's first female vice-chancellor when she was appointed to head the University of Benin.