In a strong show of support for open and distance learning, President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s unwavering backing for the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), promising a tech-powered transformation of its academic infrastructure.
By Chimezie Godfrey
In a strong show of support for open and distance learning, President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s unwavering backing for the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), promising a tech-powered transformation of its academic infrastructure.
Speaking during NOUN’s 14th Convocation Ceremony in Abuja, where over 17, 000 students graduated, Tinubu represented by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, through Hajia Rakiya Gambo unveiled bold plans to enhance the university’s digital learning environment through strategic government interventions.
“We are committed to leveraging information technology to revolutionize learning in Nigeria,” the President declared. “With the help of TetFund, we’re rolling out fibre optic infrastructure across NOUN study centres to guarantee seamless internet access for students nationwide.”
The event was further elevated by the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on two national figures: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas (Doctor of Business Administration), and African Development Bank President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Doctor of Humane Letters).
NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, highlighted the university’s surging demand, fueled by its tech-driven teaching model and international collaborations with institutions like the Open University UK and the University of South Africa.
Meanwhile, Pro-Chancellor Malam Isa Yuguda used the occasion to make a passionate appeal to the Federal Government: integrate NOUN graduates into the National Youth Service Corps and grant NOUN Law graduates access to Law School—moves he said would unlock even greater enrollment and national impact.
With 17,420 fresh graduates—10,967 undergraduates and 6,413 postgraduates—walking the stage, the convocation underscored NOUN’s growing influence in Nigeria’s educational landscape.
