The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has flagged off activities for its 15th Convocation Ceremony, announcing that a total of 24,575 students will graduate from its undergraduate, postgraduate diploma, master’s and doctoral programmes.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, disclosed this on Tuesday during a pre-convocation press conference held at the university headquarters in Abuja, noting that the ceremony will kick off with a Convocation Lecture on Friday, April 17, 2026, while the main convocation ceremony holds on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
He said the event will take place at the university headquarters in Abuja and will also be streamed across study centres nationwide.
According to him, the Convocation Lecture will be delivered by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi, SAN, CON, and chaired by Professor Kabir Bala, with the theme “Nigeria Against Corruption,” which he described as deliberate, timely and a call to national introspection.
Prof. Uduma said the graduating figure of 24,575 is the highest in the university’s history, comprising 17,474 undergraduate students, 1,788 postgraduate diploma students, 5,282 master’s degree holders and 31 PhD recipients.
He added that the graduating set includes 57 First Class graduates and 56 inmates, a reflection of NOUN’s inclusive education policy.
Breaking down the statistics further, he said the Faculty of Management Sciences leads with 7,455 graduates, followed by Social Sciences with 6,024, Health Sciences with 3,939, Education with 3,431, Computing with 2,205, Sciences with 943, Agricultural Sciences with 120, while Law recorded 6 postgraduate students.
He further explained that the gender distribution shows women accounting for 58.3 percent (10,180) of undergraduate students, 49.7 percent (3,512) of postgraduate students and 49.6 percent of PhD recipients.
Prof. Uduma, who will be presiding over his first convocation as Vice-Chancellor, described the ceremony as “a reflective pause in the movement of time,” adding that it offers the university a moment to look back with gratitude while charting a renewed course forward.
He invoked African philosophical thought, noting that the number six symbolically represents labour after vision, responsibility after privilege and stewardship after trust, describing his role as the sixth Vice-Chancellor of NOUN.
He reaffirmed the university’s mandate of expanding access to education and dismantling barriers to learning, stressing that the convocation represents both a milestone and a bridge between continuity and renewal.
The Vice-Chancellor also paid tribute to the resilience of students, noting the challenges many overcame in pursuit of their academic goals, while reiterating NOUN’s tradition of holding convocation ceremonies simultaneously at its headquarters and study centres nationwide to ensure inclusivity.
He announced a new administrative improvement, stating that certificates will be issued immediately after the ceremonies at all study centres, thereby eliminating long-standing delays in certificate collection.
Prof. Uduma expressed appreciation to the media and stakeholders for their support, emphasizing collective leadership and collaboration as key drivers of the university’s achievements.
Earlier, the Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Ibrahim Sheme, said the briefing was designed as a strategic interface between the university and the public, noting that it was aimed at fostering transparency and strengthening public trust in NOUN’s processes.
He said the media plays a vital role in shaping perception and amplifying the institution’s achievements, adding that accurate reporting and sustained collaboration remain central to the university’s communication strategy.
In his vote of thanks, the Registrar of NOUN, Mr. Oladipo Ajayi, commended participants and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to excellence and service delivery.
He also appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for his leadership and members of management for their efforts in ensuring another successful convocation, while thanking the media for their continued support and professionalism in reporting the university’s activities.
