National Open University Of Nigeria (NOUN)
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), established in 1983, is Nigeria’s premier open and distance learning (ODL) institution. Based in Abuja, with several chapters across the country, it is the largest tertiary institution by student enrollment, with hundreds of thousands of students.
History: NOUN was founded on July 22, 1983, to expand access to higher education but was suspended in 1984. Revived in 2002 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, it began with 32,400 students. By 2011, enrollment reached 57,759.
Ownership: NOUN is a federal institution under the Ministry of Education, regulated by the National Universities Commission (NUC). It operates 103 study centers nationwide.
Academic Programs: Offering programs in arts, sciences, law, and more, NOUN uses ICT for flexible learning. All courses are NUC-accredited.
Challenges: NOUN faces issues like delayed feedback and infrastructure gaps but continues to innovate in ODL delivery
