President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expand access to higher education, particularly through Open and Distance Learning (ODL), as part of efforts to drive national development.
Tinubu, represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said this on Saturday at the 15th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja.
“This convocation is an opportunity to celebrate academic excellence and assess the university’s contributions to widening access to education across the country,” he said.
The president commended NOUN for breaking barriers of location, occupation and circumstance.
He noted that the institution had continued to provide flexible learning opportunities for diverse groups, including working professionals, women and security personnel.
According to him, with over two million candidates sitting annually for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, only a limited number gain admission into conventional universities.
He said NOUN had become a critical platform for democratising access to higher education, adding that the institution, with over 500,000 students, ranked among the largest open universities in Africa.
Tinubu also commended the university’s collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service in providing education to inmates, describing it as a strong tool for rehabilitation and reintegration, and human dignity.
He reiterated the government’s resolve to strengthen the education sector through reforms, including improved funding, digital learning expansion and initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.
“Education remains one of the most effective tools for transforming lives and offering individuals a second chance and for this reason efforts are ongoing to reposition NOUN as a globally competitive online university.
“Your perseverance, discipline, and determination have brought you to this memorable moment.
“The National Open University of Nigeria occupies a unique and strategic place in the nation’s tertiary education ecosystem.
“As the foremost institution dedicated to ODL, the university has demonstrated that the frontiers of higher education can be expanded significantly without compromising academic quality.
“My administration remains firmly committed to the transformation of Nigeria’s education sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Tinubu said.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Uduma Uduma, said the university was undergoing a transformation driven by technology, research and infrastructure.
Uduma said his administration’s 2026–2031 agenda would focus on expanding access, enhancing digital delivery and promoting inclusive education.
He said the university had strengthened its digital infrastructure, including fibre optic connectivity across study centres and migration to cloud-based platforms, enabling it to support over 180,000 active users on its learning management system.
“The transformation of the National Open University of Nigeria is not an abstract aspiration – it is a measurable, ongoing reality, anchored firmly on technology, research, and infrastructure as the tripartite pillars of institutional advancement.
“NOUN has continued to invest strategically in technology as the backbone of its Open and Distance Learning mandate. With the sustained support of TETFund, the University has recorded major milestones in the development of its digital infrastructure.
“The completion of the first phase of the Fibre Optics Infrastructure Project for Internet Connectivity at NOUN Headquarters and in twenty-three major Study Centres across state capitals has significantly enhanced access to online resources and institutional efficiency.
“The second phase of this project is already in progress, extending connectivity to twenty-eight study centres across 16 state capitals and 12 additional communities nationwide,” he said.
According to him, the university library system will continue to benefit from enhanced support, with additional online resources and equipment deployed at the headquarters and across study centres, thereby ensuring that knowledge remains both accessible and current.
“A defining milestone in our digital evolution has been the migration of institutional systems to Amazon Web Services.
“This transition has effectively resolved longstanding challenges relating to scalability, security, and interoperability, while aligning NOUN with global best practices in digital education,” he said.
Uduma added that NOUN had sustained the largest single-instance Moodle-based Learning Management System in the West African sub-region, while supporting over 180,000 active users.
The vice chancellor said more than 2,000 courses were delivered per semester, while accommodating up to 10,000 concurrent users.
He urged stakeholders to support the university’s efforts to further strengthen digital infrastructure and research capacity.
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor of NOUN, Malam Isa Yuguda, said he was proud of the achievements recorded by the university.
Yuguda urged the management not to relent in its effort to make the university the best ODL university in Africa.
On his part, the Chancellor of the university, Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, called for increased government funding to match the institution’s growing national mandate.
Oba Ewuare II described NOUN as a strategic instrument for expanding access to education, noting its extensive network of study centres across the federation.
The traditional ruler urged the Federal Government to provide sustained intervention funding to improve infrastructure and enhance the university’s capacity.
He also raised concerns over challenges faced by NOUN graduates in participating in the National Youth Service Corps, calling for policy adjustments to ensure equitable treatment.
“I commend the management and staff of the university for their commitment and I charge graduates to uphold the values of integrity, resilience and lifelong learning,” he said.
He formally admitted the graduands to their respective degrees, diplomas and certificates, urging them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The convocation ceremony celebrated one of the largest graduating cohorts in the university’s history, underscoring NOUN’s expanding role in Nigeria’s higher education landscape.
24,575 graduands were awarded various qualifications, out of which 17,474 were undergraduates, 1,788 postgraduates diplomas, 5,282 master’s degrees and 31 doctoral degrees.
Some members of staff of NAN including Isaac Aregbesola, Emmanuel Afonne, Constance Athekame, Deji Abdulwahab, Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma, Ese Williams, Emmanuella Anokam, Joan Nwagwu and Vivian Emoni, were among those that bagged Masters Degree.
