The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has said the university is fully ready for the take-off of the newly-established Category 2 International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI) under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Peters made this known on Thursday, March 27, 2025 while receiving a 4-man delegation led by the Ambassador/Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO, Dr. Hajo Sani, at the NOUN headquarters in Abuja.
The Vice-Chancellor said NOUN has taken significant steps to ensure its success. “The institute has been fully integrated into our system, and we have had to go out of our way to make sure that it is sustainable,” he added.
According to the him, NOUN has already put in place various frameworks for the successful take-off of the institute ahead of UNESCO’s expected final approval in November, 2025.
Peters also assured that the institute’s governance would be strengthened just as he emphasised the importance of autonomy.
He noted that the university has already opened a separate account for the institute’s finances, disclosing the university’s wide network of study centres and its plans for short, medium, and long-term programmes aligned with UNESCO’s priorities.
“We have proposed programmes within the next five to 15 years; we will have programmes focusing on UNESCO’s priority areas, so that it will have immediate relevance for the establishment of the institute. We are also looking at capacity building, researches, among others,” he said.
The VC further expressed gratitude for the visit of the Ambassador and UNESCO Permanent Delegate and acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Government, the Ministry of Information, and UNESCO in supporting the establishment of the Media and Information Literacy Institute in Nigeria.
Earlier on her part, the Ambassador/Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO, Hajo Sani, expressed profound gratitude to the VC for facilitating the opportunity to discuss the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Nigeria under UNESCO.
Sani emphasized that the international institute is very important to the global organisation.
The leader of the delegation also acknowledged the efforts of the minister of information and other stakeholders in ensuring the feasibility of the project, particularly the successful completion of the feasibility study and the publication of a favourable report.
Sani also stressed that the significance of the institute as an international entity would benefit not only Nigeria but also the global community, while emphasising on the urgent attention to the next steps in the approval process, including the review of the draft agreement and the continued collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the timely establishment of the institute.
“Independence of the institute through non-interference by both the university and the Federal Government of Nigeria has already been pointed out in the report. It’s very important. And this is really important, because what we need to do now is to emphasise strengthening the institute’s governance.
“The Nigerian government’s commitment is very impressive; I personally am very impressed. It gives me a lot of courage and hope that people on the ground here, while we are up there, doing the top one, the one doing the groundwork, the Honourable Minister of Information, the Vice-Chancellor, the University Committee, and everybody has put their heads together and we are able to be where we are now.
“I also want to say thank you to the university and the Vice-Chancellor, the Department of Mass Media, for your efforts that led to the recognition as a suitable host, co-host of the Media and Information Literacy Institute,” she stated.
The visitors were also taken round the IMILI centre facility located at the NOUN headquarters.
Present during the visit include Prof. Chiedu Mafiana; the DVC Academic; Prof. Isaac Butswat, DVC Administration; Prof.Godwin Akper, DVC TIR, Mr. Oladipo A. Ajayi, Registrar; Mr. Nasiru Marafa, University Bursar; Dr. Lateef Adelakun, Ag. Director, IMILI, other senior staff of NOUN, UNESCO delegation, among others.
IMILI is an important tool in combating fake news, misinformation and disinformation, which continue to pose significant threats to peace and security globally.
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