UniAbuja targets 10,000 students in distance learning drive

July 28, 2026 12:42 am

The University of Abuja has set a target of enrolling at least 10,000 students in its Open and Distance Learning programmes in the short term.

The Director, Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, University of Abuja, Prof Uche Anaduaka, disclosed this on Friday during the signing of a partnership agreement between the university and Edutech Global in Lagos.

Anaduaka said the partnership would provide UniAbuja, renamed Yakubu Gowon University, with a comprehensive learning management system, online examination platform, remote proctoring technology and virtual classroom infrastructure that would enable students to study and take examinations from any location.

The director disclosed that the university currently runs five accredited Open and Distance Learning undergraduate programmes and six weekend part-time programmes.

Under the partnership, she said the institution planned to introduce about 10 postgraduate programmes while gradually expanding its undergraduate offerings as more programmes obtained accreditation from the National Universities Commission.

Anaduaka said the university currently had fewer than 4,000 students enrolled in its distance learning programmes because its previous model still required learners to come to campus for lectures and examinations.

According to her, the transition to a fully digital platform would significantly increase enrolment.

“For now, we have fewer than 4,000 students because what we had was not a complete distance learning system. Students still had to come to the university for lectures and examinations. Now everything will be online as it should be.

“Our target is to grow gradually to 10,000 students, then 20,000 and even 30,000 as we continue to expand and attract learners from Nigeria and other parts of the world,” she added.

She noted that the model would particularly benefit working professionals who were unable to participate in conventional classroom learning because of their work schedules.

She said, “We are convinced that we will get the best services. We are happy with what we have seen. We are convinced that our students will get the best education. We want our DLC to attract students from Nigeria and all over the world, and Edutech is offering to bring education to the doorstep of people.

“Distance learning programmes are meant for people who are already working and may not have all the time for regular classroom studies. It brings flexibility. Students can progress at their own pace, take the number of courses their schedules permit and complete their programmes within the approved duration.”

Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Venture Garden Group, the parent company of Edutech Global, Bunmi Akinyemiju, said the company would provide the technology backbone required to enable the university to scale up its distance learning operations.

He explained that the partnership covered digital infrastructure, content digitisation, virtual learning platforms, student support services, marketing and learner recruitment.

“What Edutech provides is, first, the technology and software. Second, the infrastructure to convert learning content and support connectivity. We also provide virtual classroom technology, student acquisition services and 24-hour support for learners,” he said.

According to Akinyemiju, while the university retained ownership of its curriculum, lecturers, academic programmes and certificates, Edutech would provide the digital systems required to improve learning delivery.

“The university has the brand, the institution, the curriculum, the certificates and the lecturers. What Edutech comes to do is to amplify the impact of the professors.

“A professor who may ordinarily teach about 500 students in a year can, through technology, impact as many as 5,000 students annually,” he said.

Akinyemiju disclosed that the company usually entered into long-term agreements with partner institutions to ensure sustainability.

“We typically sign 10-year agreements with most of our partners because transformation like this requires long-term planning and investment,” he said.

He also revealed that discussions were ongoing with financial institutions on possible student loan arrangements that would make distance learning more affordable.

“We hope to partner with the university and financial service providers so that student loans and similar support systems can become available, although those discussions are still at an early stage,” he added.

Also speaking, the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Edutech Global, Olufemi Shonubi, said technology remained the most practical solution to Nigeria’s growing demand for university education.

He noted that the country’s physical university infrastructure could no longer accommodate the increasing number of qualified candidates seeking admission annually.

He said, “To teach and learn at scale, technology has to be the enabler. The physical infrastructure we have today is not enough to meet the growing demand, and that is the solution technology provides.”

Shonubi said Edutech had successfully implemented similar projects in several higher institutions across the country, including Ahmadu Bello University, Babcock University, Hillside University of Science and Technology and Corona College of Education.

He said the company’s experience with Ahmadu Bello University demonstrated the enormous potential of digital learning.

“Today, Ahmadu Bello University Distance Learning Centre has over 50,000 active learners online. No physical university infrastructure would have accommodated that number within such a short period. Technology has validated itself as the solution,” he said.

Shonubi added that the partnership with the University of Abuja would further expand access to quality higher education for thousands of Nigerians unable to secure admission through the conventional system.

He also addressed concerns over internet connectivity and electricity, saying the company had adopted an offline-first learning model to reduce students’ dependence on continuous internet access.

“We provide offline-enabled devices with preloaded learning materials. Students do not have to rely on the internet to study their course contents. They only need connectivity for discussions, assessments and live classes. That reduces internet requirements significantly and improves accessibility,” he said.

Shonubi explained that Edutech would operate strictly as the technology partner, while the university remained fully responsible for admissions, curriculum delivery, examinations and certification.

“We power the infrastructure, the operations and the processes. Students are interacting with the University of Abuja, not with Edutech. Everything they see is the university; we provide the engine running behind the scenes,” he added.

He further said the partnership would also strengthen the university’s internally generated revenue by expanding enrolment without requiring massive investment in physical infrastructure.

According to him, technology-enabled distance learning had become one of the most sustainable ways for universities to increase access, improve revenue and deliver quality education to thousands of learners simultaneously.

Wale Akinselure

Olawale Franklin Akinselure is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with 12 years of experience covering education, politics, health, environment, judiciary, metro, and community beats. He specializes in producing insightful, wide-ranging reports that inform and engage readers. His reporting reflects practical newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a dedication to accurate, reliable journalism.

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