President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has identified open and distance learning as a key solution to Nigeria’s persistent university admission challenges, stressing the need for flexible systems to expand access to higher education.
Speaking at the 15th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Tinubu described the institution as a strategic response to the widening gap between the number of applicants and available spaces in conventional universities.
He noted that over two million candidates sit annually for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only a fraction secure admission. According to him, this leaves millions of qualified Nigerians without access to tertiary education.
“NOUN has demonstrated that the frontiers of higher education can be expanded significantly without compromising academic standards,” Tinubu said, describing the university as a vital tool for democratizing education.
Represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, the President commended NOUN’s flexible structure. He said it has removed barriers related to geography, age, occupation, and personal circumstances, enabling workers, entrepreneurs, women, and security personnel to pursue higher education.
Tinubu also praised NOUN’s collaborations with security agencies and the Nigerian Correctional Service, which provide educational opportunities for personnel and inmates. He described the prison education initiative as a powerful step toward rehabilitation and reintegration.
At the convocation, over 24,000 students graduated, including 17,474 undergraduates, 1,788 postgraduate diploma recipients, 5,282 master’s degree holders, and 31 doctoral graduates. Among them were 57 First Class graduates and 57 inmates who earned degrees through the correctional education programme.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to education reform, Tinubu highlighted initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and increased investment in STEM and medical programmes.
Also speaking, the Chancellor of NOUN, Oba Ewuare II, called for the inclusion of NOUN graduates in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma unveiled a 2026–2031 strategic plan aimed at positioning NOUN as a global leader in open and distance learning, with a focus on digital expansion, research growth, and improved infrastructure.
