By Abubakar Yunusa
The Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN), Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, has said Open Distance Learning has become a critical national asset, following the institution’s resilience during the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020.
Uduma stated this on Tuesday when he led the university’s management team on a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. W. Shaibu, at Army Headquarters in Abuja.
The visit culminated in a renewed commitment between NOUN and the Nigerian Army to deepen collaboration, with emphasis on expanding access to higher education for military personnel and addressing emerging operational needs.
At the centre of the engagement was a shared resolve to broaden the partnership through the establishment of additional special study centres and enhanced academic collaboration with the Nigerian Army University Biu.
Both parties said the move would strengthen capacity development within the ranks and align military training with contemporary academic standards.
“NOUN’s resilience during the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020 had firmly positioned it as a critical national asset,” Uduma said.
He recalled that the partnership between the university and the Army dates back to 2006, with the establishment of a Special Study Centre in Sobi, Kwara State.
According to him, the centre has facilitated the enrolment of over 700 personnel, while more than 2,000 officers and men have graduated from NOUN across the country.
The Vice-Chancellor, however, expressed concern over the deteriorating infrastructure and obsolete ICT facilities at the Sobi centre, calling for urgent intervention to upgrade the facility.
Responding, Shaibu described NOUN as a “revolutionary approach” to education delivery in Nigeria, noting that its impact was widely acknowledged.
He stressed the need to track the post-graduation outcomes of beneficiaries, insisting that measurable results should guide future investments in the collaboration.
On infrastructure renewal, the Army Chief directed the Chief of Policy and Plans to liaise with the Corps Commander, Education, to facilitate the expansion of the Sobi centre and deepen collaboration with the Biu-based university.
Shaibu also disclosed that the Army was keen on strengthening academic engagement in specialised fields such as intelligence analysis and cybersecurity, in response to evolving global security challenges.
He added that several senior officers had indicated interest in establishing NOUN Community Study Centres in their localities as part of the military’s community engagement strategy.
Meanwhile,the meeting was attended by senior Army officers and top NOUN officials, including Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Prof. Shehu Adamu and Prof. Christine Ofulue, Registrar Oladipo Ajayi, Bursar Nasiru Marafa, and Librarian Prof. Angela Okpala.
