Aishah Waliyullah
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has recorded its largest-ever graduating class, conferring degrees on 24,575 students at its 15th Convocation Ceremony held in Abuja on April 17 and 18, 2026.
The figure marks a significant milestone in the institution’s history, reinforcing its position as Nigeria’s largest open and distance learning university.
At the two-day ceremony, the outgoing cohort comprised 17,474 undergraduate degree holders, 5,282 master’s degree recipients, 1,788 postgraduate diploma graduates, and 31 doctoral degree awardees. A total of 57 graduates finished with First Class honours.
The event also marked the first convocation presided over by Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma as the sixth substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
Representing President Bola Tinubu, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said government was considering a policy engagement with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to possibly accommodate NOUN graduates into the scheme.
According to him, emerging demographic trends among NOUN graduates are strengthening the argument for inclusion.
“The demographic profile of NOUN graduates has shifted in recent years. A growing number now graduate below the 30-year age threshold currently required for NYSC participation, making a strong case for their inclusion,” he said.
One of the most notable highlights of the convocation was the graduation of inmates from correctional centres across the country, a development that attracted widespread attention and underscored NOUN’s open-access education model.
Speaking on the development, Prof. Uduma described it as a powerful demonstration of education as a tool for rehabilitation and reintegration.
“Education is not a privilege reserved for the free. It is a right that belongs to every Nigerian, regardless of their circumstances,” he said, adding that the university remains committed to breaking barriers to access.
He stressed that NOUN’s mandate was to provide education without restrictions of geography, status or incarceration, describing the graduation of inmates as a restoration of “dignity, identity and hope.”
In a major administrative reform, the Vice-Chancellor also announced that graduates would henceforth receive their certificates immediately after the convocation ceremony at their respective study centres, ending years of delay that had trailed certificate issuance.
The ceremony also attracted prominent figures from Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Actor and filmmaker Odunlade Adekola, veteran comedian Otunba Bolaji Amosun—who also graduated in the cohort—and musician Alayo were among notable attendees.
Amosun, in a show of solidarity, donated N1 million to the institution alongside fellow colleagues.
Delivering a goodwill message that resonated with graduates, Adekola urged continuous self-development.
“When we stop learning, we stop living,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.
The convocation further highlighted NOUN’s expanding influence in widening access to tertiary education in Nigeria, particularly among working adults, professionals, and underserved populations.
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