Skip to main content

Nigeria

Reading Time: < 1 min

Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, with over 213 million people (World Bank, 2021). As a major donor, Nigeria holds a seat on COL’s Board of Governors and also hosts a COL regional centre, the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL).

COL’s work in Nigeria is in the areas of higher education, open schooling, teacher education, lifelong learning for farmers, skills for work and gender equality. Learners from Nigeria are also participating in COL’s free online courses and other openly available resources.

Highlights

  • The National Open University of Nigeria has offered two massive open online courses on open educational resources with COL support.
  • A report on the Status of Open and Distance Learning in Nigeria released by COL highlighting the strengths and potential of the system of the country.
  • Fifteen higher education institutions in Nigeria received COL support on developing policies and capacities on ODL, including OER, authentic assessment, employability, and MOOCs.
  • Nigeria has a National OER Repository developed with COL support and is actively engaged in promoting OER in higher education institutions.

Partners

Partnerships are fundamental to COL’s work. Strategic partnerships allow COL to broaden its reach and engage at global, regional and national levels, while implementation partners support COL’s work in communities and institutions across Commonwealth Member States. Partners include multilateral organisations, regional bodies, national governments, government agencies, foundations, civil society organisations, public and private (not-for-profit) institutions and the private sector. COL partnerships assist in improving and extending teaching and learning services to people in the developing Commonwealth.

COL’s partners in Nigeria include:

  • Federal Ministry of Education
  • Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
  • Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI)
  • Auchi Polytechnic
  • Centre for Girls Education
  • Federal University of Technology, Minna
  • Ignatius Ajuru University of Education
  • Kaduna Polytechnic
  • Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
  • Lagos State University
  • Modibbo Adama University (MAU)
  • National Board of Technical Education (NBTE)
  • National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)
  • National Teachers’ Institute (NTI Kaduna)
  • National Universities Commission
  • Obafemi Awolowo University
  • University of Nigeria
  • Universal Basic Education Commission
  • University of Abuja
  • University of Ibadan
  • University of Ilorin
  • University of Lagos
  • University of Maiduguri
  • Yaba College of Technology

Key Contacts

Board of Governors

Her Excellency Dr Hajo Sani
Ambassador
Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO

Focal Point

Mrs Maria Ada Amedu
Assistant Director
Bilateral Agreements, Commonwealth and African Affairs Branch
Education Support Services Department
Federal Ministry of Education

Notable Mention

Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, COL Honorary Fellow

Dr M.M. Bunza, former member of COL Board of Governors

Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, COL Honorary Fellow

Professor Mohammad Junaid, Honorary COL Adviser

Her Excellency Ms Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, Ambassador/Permanent Delegate, of the Permanent Delegation of Nigeria to UNESCO (Paris) and former Deputy Chair of COL Board of Governors

Professor Michael Omolewa, COL Honorary Fellow and former member of COL Board of Governors

The late Dr Abdurrahman Umar, former member of COL Board of Governors

The late Dr Alhaji Hafiz S. Wali, COL Honorary Fellow and member of COL’s Founding Board of Governors

More Information

News

Reports

Publications and Resources

Country Data Sources