The President and Visitor to the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has disclosed that there was the need for the university to transition into a full online university.
He said the university’s expertise and mastery of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) calls for its transformation to an online university.
The president stated this at the 14th Convocation Ceremony of the university, held on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at the convocation arena, university headquarters, Jabi, Abuja.
Represented by Dr. Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, the Director of University Education in the Ministry of Education, he directed NOUN to holistically embrace technology in its delivery system.
“This transition requires NOUN to fully leverage cutting-edge digital tools to ensure accessibility, flexibility, and the overall quality of education,” the president said.
While urging the university to spearhead digital learning advancements across Africa, maximising its potential as a hub for open and distance learning (ODL), Tinubu expressed his belief that NOUN can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s education.
The President noted that NOUN, in particular, was established to provide lifelong learning opportunities to Nigerians and said he is excited that the institution has lived up to its expectations.
He said in view of the crucial role NOUN plays in the country and Africa, a directive has been given to Tertiary Education Fund (TETfund) to provide optic fibre services to the institution so that it can improve on its virtual and online learning programmes.
To this end, he said, other institutions like NYSC, JAMB, NUC, and NBTE are being charged to align themselves towards improving the quality of education.
The visitor said the Federal Government, under his leadership, remains committed to supporting education by leveraging on information technology to enhance learning, through strategic intervention, and ensuring that education remains inclusive and technologically-driven.
The initiative, he added, will harnesses the power of technology to improve access to education and foster inclusivity, explaining further that a large number of universities have indeed benefited significantly from various federal interventions, particularly in the areas of fiscal infrastructure and research grants awarded to staff through institutional-based research.
According to him, by doing so, NOUN can help address Nigeria’s educational challenges, such as inadequate access to quality education and high illiteracy rates, particularly in rural areas.
This, he stressed, aligns with the broader goals of Nigeria’s education system, which aims to equip individuals with essential skills like technological, scientific, vocational, entrepreneurial, and interpersonal skills to drive economic growth and innovation.
“I want to assure you that this administration will provide full support for the project, ensuring that necessary policies, infrastructure, and resources are in place to facilitate a seamless and sustainable transition,” he said.
Tinubu restated the continuous commitment of the federal government towards uplifting the educational standards of the country through strategic interventions.
“We will continue to do this in order to improve quality, access and affordability.
“In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the information technology sector presents immense employment opportunities waiting to be harnessed. It is imperative that NOUN builds local capacity to take full advantage of these opportunities,” he added.
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