Parents, stakeholders raise concerns over education minister’s remarks on open, online universities

Parents and concerned education stakeholders have demanded a public apology and retraction from the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, over her claim that the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, is the only institution approved to offer university degrees through open and online learning in the country.

The stakeholders, in a statement signed by Jerry Akye Ini and Dr. Yusuf Idi Maso, said the minister’s remarks, made during a recent interview with online platform DCL English, had created fear, anxiety and uncertainty among students, parents and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s Open, Distance and Online Learning sector.

They described the minister’s assertion as factually incorrect, maintaining that Nigeria currently has seven fully licensed open universities approved by the Federal Government through the National Universities Commission (NUC), in addition to 34 approved Distance Learning Centres operating within conventional universities.

According to the stakeholders, the institutions are authorised to offer recognised academic programmes through Open, Distance and Online Learning in line with established regulatory standards.

“The Minister’s remarks have generated fear, anxiety and uncertainty among students, parents and other stakeholders by creating the false impression that many universities offering online and distance learning in Nigeria are operating illegally or without the necessary approvals,” the statement said.

“We are particularly concerned by the Minister’s assertion that only the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is approved to offer university degrees through the open and online learning mode in Nigeria. This statement is factually incorrect.”

The stakeholders warned that the minister’s statement could mislead prospective students, parents, employers and the general public while undermining the credibility and reputation of duly licensed institutions, their staff, students and graduates.

They said the claim was particularly surprising because Prof. Ahmad had spent several years in the Nigerian university system before her appointment as Minister of State for Education by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The statement noted that the current administration approved licences for two additional private open universities in 2025, following the licensing of four open universities in 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

It added that the National Open University of Nigeria, established in 2002, was the pioneer institution in the sector, bringing the number of fully licensed open universities in the country to seven.

The stakeholders said the minister’s comments reflected what they described as a lack of awareness of the current state of Open, Distance and Online Learning in Nigeria and were capable of creating unnecessary confusion among students, parents, employers, development partners and the wider public.

“For the avoidance of doubt, several Nigerian universities, both public and private, have adopted Open, Distance and Online Learning in line with global best practices and with the approval of the National Universities Commission,” the statement said.

“These institutions have received all the necessary approvals to offer accredited programmes through various flexible learning modes and are duly recognised and listed by the NUC, which remains the statutory body responsible for regulating university education in Nigeria.”

The stakeholders, however, expressed concern that some duly approved institutions had yet to be reflected on the Federal Ministry of Education’s Education Support Services Portal, which the minister reportedly directed members of the public to consult for verification.

They said the delay, combined with the minister’s statement, had created an opportunity for unscrupulous individuals to discredit legally established institutions that had contributed to expanding access to higher education for Nigerians and international students.

The group called on the minister to publicly clarify and retract the statement to correct what it described as misinformation and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s Open, Distance and Online Learning system.

It also urged the Federal Ministry of Education to update and publish a comprehensive and current register of all approved universities and recognised Open, Distance and Online Learning institutions in the country.

“Reliance on outdated records undermines public confidence, creates avoidable confusion and runs contrary to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which promotes transparency, innovation, digital transformation and expanded access to quality education,” the stakeholders said.