NOUN Convocation: 24,575 Graduates, Certificate Release

The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, will award degrees to 24,575 graduates at its 15th convocation ceremony on Saturday.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Uduma Oji Uduma disclosed this at a press conference on Tuesday, ahead of the ceremony that will hold across study centres nationwide, in line with the university’s decentralised Structure.

He described the coming event as a moment of reflection, renewal, and university Pride. He also said certificates would be issued immediately after the ceremony, describing the step as a shift to “student-centred responsiveness”.

Breakdown of graduating students

Uduma said the 24,575 graduates include 17,474 undergraduates, 1,788 postgraduate diploma holders, 5,282 master’s degree recipients, and 31 doctoral graduates.

Out of the total, 57 graduates will receive First Class honours.

Faculty-by-faculty figures

The Faculty of Management Sciences produced 7,455 graduates. Social Sciences followed with 6,024 graduates, while Health Sciences recorded 3,939.

Education had 3,431 graduates, Computing had 2,205, and Science produced 943. Arts recorded 452 graduates, Agricultural Sciences had 120, while Law produced six postgraduate graduates.

Uduma said the spread reflects NOUN’s contribution across governance, healthcare, education, technology, and food security.

Female participation across undergraduate and postgraduate levels

Uduma said 10,180 of the 17,474 undergraduate graduates are female, representing about 58.3 per cent.

At postgraduate level, 3,512 of the 7,070 graduates are female, representing about 49.7 per cent.

He said the figures show that access to higher education is no longer held back by gender barriers.

56 inmates graduate under NOUN’s free education plan

The Vice-Chancellor said 56 inmates of correctional centres are among the graduating students. He said they benefited from the university’s free education initiative for prisoners.

He added that no human being is beyond redemption.

Law graduates and NYSC mobilisation

Uduma also addressed concerns about Law graduates and National Youth Service Corps mobilisation. He said the university is in ongoing consultations with the relevant regulatory authorities.

What Uduma said about open and distance learning

Uduma described NOUN as “a quiet revolution” in Nigerian education. He said the university has removed barriers of geography and time in access to higher education.

He said open and distance learning has moved from scepticism to acceptance, then validation, and now leadership; he added that it is no longer an alternative, but the new normal.

Convocation lecture details

The convocation lecture will be delivered by Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi, former Attorney-General of the Federation. Prof Kabir Bala, former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, will chair the lecture.

The lecture is themed “Nigeria against Corruption”.

The Vice-Chancellor’s plans for the university

Uduma said his vision for the university includes strengthening academic quality, expanding access, deepening digital change, improving student support, and building strategic partnerships to improve global competitiveness.

Message to staff, the media, and graduating students

Uduma praised staff for their commitment to organising the nationwide ceremony. He said, “when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.”

He also appreciated the media for its role in protecting the university’s image, saying, “until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”

He urged graduating students to see the convocation as a new beginning and to represent the university with excellence and integrity.

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