The South-West Development Commission (SWDC) and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have agreed to expand digitally enabled study and examination centres across strategic locations in the South-West region.
This was one of the decisions reached at the high-level discussions between the Managing Director of SWDC, Dr Charles ‘Diji Akinola and the Vice- Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma culminating in the establishment of a Joint Technical Committee to develop a structured collaboration framework.
According to a statement by SWDC, the initiative will explore a strategic partnership aimed at significantly expanding access to affordable and flexible tertiary education across the South-West region.
The statement also said that the SWDC management argued that the initiative will focus on increasing enrollment capacity without the constraints of traditional campus infrastructure, improving affordability, scheduling flexibility, and strengthening pathways for skills certification and lifelong learning.
The proposed partnership seeks to leverage NOUN’s nationally accredited open and distance learning architecture to widen participation in higher education across the South-West.
Final implementation will be subject to institutional approvals and phased planning in line with regulatory and governance requirements.
The South-West remains Nigeria’s most economically vibrant region; however, access to tertiary education remains uneven, particularly for working professionals, women balancing family and economic responsibilities, youth in semi-urban and rural communities, and individuals unable to secure placement within conventional university systems.
Beyond immediate access expansion, the partnership is expected to contribute to the development of a resilient digital learning ecosystem, supported by improved broadband connectivity, renewable energy solutions, and industry-aligned digital skills programs.
Officials say the initiative aligns with SWDC’s human capital development mandate and is designed to strengthen regional competitiveness by enabling significantly larger numbers of residents to enroll in and complete tertiary education programmes.