This study was focused on strategic thinking and decision making in higher education institutions in Nigeria. The study was a survey which involved 153 as respondents selected with purposive sampling technique and administered with copies of questionnaire. The study recoded 71% response rate. In the study, it was hypothesized that strategic thinking dimensions of systems perspective, intent-focused, intelligent opportunism, thinking in time and hypothesisdriven would not significantly influence decision making in higher education institutions in Nigeria. Data analysis was done with multiple regression with results showing that strategic thinking dimensions of systems perspective(Beta = 0.133, t= 2.4630, P< 0.05 ) , intent-focused (Beta = 0.069, t= 2.2259, P< 0.05), intelligent opportunism (Beta = 0.107, t= 2.9722, P< 0.05 ) and hypothesis-driven (Beta = 0.323, t= 2.7845 P< 0.05 ) significantly influenced decision making in higher education institutions in Nigeria. However, thinking in time(Beta = 0.128, t= 1.2673, P> 0.05) indicated insignificant impact on decision making in higher education institutions in Nigeria. The regression model reported an adjusted R2 of 0.538 (53.8%). The F value (13.521) was significant at 0.05 level with its P value = 0.000. Based on these findings, it was recommended that higher education institutions in Nigeria invest in developing their administrators’ strategic thinking competency through relevant training exposure; that leaders and administrators of higher education institutions in Nigeria be proactive in making decisions and so be more likely to deal with development in the environment and that higher education institutions in Nigeria integrate the dimensions of strategic thinking which influence their decision making – systems perspective, intent-focused, intelligent opportunism and hypothesisdriven to bring about effectiveness in their decision making for their improved performance.