UniAbuja Targets 10,000 Students in Distance Learning Expansion

The University of Abuja (UniAbuja), recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University, has set a target of enrolling at least 10,000 students in its Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes in the near term, as part of a new technology partnership with Edutech Global. The Director of the university's Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, Prof Uche Anaduaka, disclosed the target on Friday during the signing of the partnership agreement in Lagos. She said the deal would give the university access to a comprehensive learning management system, an online examination platform, remote proctoring technology, and virtual classroom infrastructure, enabling students to study and sit exams from anywhere. Anaduaka said the university currently runs five accredited ODL undergraduate programmes and six weekend part-time programmes, with plans to introduce around 10 postgraduate programmes and expand undergraduate offerings as more courses receive accreditation from the National Universities Commission. She explained that the university's distance learning enrolment has stayed below 4,000 students because its previous model still required learners to attend campus for lectures and exams. With the shift to a fully digital system, she expects enrolment to climb significantly. "For now, we have fewer than 4,000 students because what we had was not a complete distance learning system... 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 said, adding that the model is particularly suited to working professionals who cannot commit to conventional classroom schedules. Speaking on behalf of Edutech Global, Chief Executive Officer of parent company Venture Garden Group, Bunmi Akinyemiju, said the firm would supply the technological backbone for the university's expanded distance learning operations, covering digital infrastructure, content conversion, virtual classrooms, and round-the-clock learner support. He stressed that the university retains full ownership of its curriculum, lecturers and certificates, with Edutech's role limited to scaling the reach of existing teaching staff. "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 added that Edutech typically signs 10-year agreements with partner institutions to support long-term investment, and revealed early-stage discussions with financial institutions on potential student loan options to make the programme more affordable. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Edutech Global, Olufemi Shonubi, described technology as the most viable solution to Nigeria's growing demand for university places, noting that existing physical infrastructure cannot keep pace with the number of qualified applicants each year. He pointed to the company's prior work with institutions including Ahmadu Bello University, Babcock University, Hillside University of Science and Technology, and Corona College of Education, citing Ahmadu Bello University's Distance Learning Centre now home to over 50,000 active online learners as evidence of the model's scalability. Shonubi also addressed concerns around internet access and power supply, explaining that Edutech uses an offline-first approach, providing devices preloaded with course materials so that students only need connectivity for live classes, discussions and assessments. He clarified that Edutech operates purely as a technology partner, with the University of Abuja remaining fully responsible for admissions, curriculum, examinations and certification.