Tinubu Targets World-Class Status for National Open University of Nigeria
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made a firm commitment to transform the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) into a world-class online institution, promising significant investments in digital infrastructure, enhanced learning platforms, and broader access to flexible, high-quality education for students nationwide. This announcement was delivered during the 15th convocation ceremony held at the university's headquarters in Abuja on Saturday, where Tinubu emphasized the critical role of open and distance learning in addressing Nigeria's tertiary education challenges.
Strategic Solution to Education Gaps
Represented by Prof Abdullahi Ribadu, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), President Tinubu highlighted that NOUN's model offers a strategic response to the widening gap between the demand for tertiary education and the limited capacity of conventional universities. He pointed out that with over two million candidates taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, only a fraction secure admission, leaving millions of qualified Nigerians without opportunities. Tinubu described NOUN as a "vital instrument" for democratizing access to education, noting that it has successfully expanded higher education frontiers without compromising academic standards.
The President stressed that embracing technology-driven education will not only accommodate more learners but also equip them with skills relevant to a rapidly evolving global economy. He reaffirmed his administration's dedication to strengthening regulatory standards, improving course delivery quality, and fostering partnerships with global institutions to ensure that degrees awarded by NOUN remain competitive and widely recognized.
Convocation Highlights and Graduand Achievements
At the ceremony, over 24,000 graduands received qualifications, including:
- 17,474 undergraduate degrees
- 1,788 postgraduate diplomas
- 5,282 master's degrees
- 31 doctoral degrees
Among the undergraduate class, 57 students graduated with First Class honours, and 57 inmates earned first degrees, with the majority achieving Second Class Lower Division. President Tinubu urged the graduating students to apply their knowledge toward innovation, integrity, and national development, emphasizing the importance of their contributions to society.
Addresses from University Leadership
In his address, the Chancellor of the University and Oba of Benin Kingdom, Oba Ewuare II, called on relevant authorities to remove all impediments preventing eligible NOUN graduates from participating fully in the National Youth Service Corps scheme. This move aims to ensure that graduates can contribute effectively to national service and development.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof Uduma Oji Uduma, used the occasion to unveil an ambitious reform agenda focused on transforming the institution into a global leader in open and distance learning. He described the convocation as more than a ceremonial event, calling it "the public ratification of intellectual discipline and the solemn transfer of responsibility." Prof. Uduma urged graduates to view this moment as both the culmination of years of study and the beginning of their obligation to society.
Five-Year Strategic Plan and Digital Transformation
Prof. Uduma outlined a five-year strategic plan (2026–2031) aimed at expanding access to education, strengthening digital infrastructure, and enhancing research output. He emphasized that at the heart of this agenda lies a simple but profound idea: "that education must be accessible, meaningful, and transformative." Highlighting major strides in digital transformation, he noted that NOUN has expanded fibre optic connectivity across study centres nationwide and migrated institutional systems to Amazon Web Services.
The university now operates the largest Moodle-based learning management system in West Africa, supporting over 180,000 active users and delivering more than 2,000 courses per semester. Additionally, improvements in physical infrastructure include new academic buildings, laboratories, road networks, and student accommodation completed across several study centres, with more projects underway countrywide.
This comprehensive approach underscores Tinubu's vision to elevate NOUN into a world-class institution, leveraging technology to provide flexible education for working professionals, women, security personnel, entrepreneurs, and others, thereby removing barriers related to location, occupation, and personal circumstances.
