The University took off from a temporary site, made up of three blocks of building meant for a primary school in Gwagwalada, tagged the "mini - campus". Academic activities started on the mini - campus in 1990. In the same year, the University was allocated an expanse of land covering over 11,800 hectares along the Abuja - Abuja road for the development of its main campus.

LOCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY
The University now operates from both its Main Campus, along Abuja Airport Road, and the Mini - Campus in Gwagwalada. Currently, the Administrative Building and the Faculty of Arts are on the Main Campus. More faculties are expected to relocate to the Main Campus from Gwagwalada in due course. The distance learning offices of the University are located within the municipality(Garki) where contact sessions of the programmme are also held.