The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has partnered with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to develop an institutional framework for micro-credentials aimed at strengthening employability, lifelong learning and skills development in Nigeria’s digital economy. The four-day workshop, which began on Monday, October 5, 2026, and ends Thursday, October 8,……
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has partnered with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to develop an institutional framework for micro-credentials aimed at strengthening employability, lifelong learning and skills development in Nigeria’s digital economy.
The four-day workshop, which began on Monday, October 5, 2026, and ends Thursday, October 8, is being held in Abuja as part of COL’s Commonwealth-wide project to support member countries in developing credible, flexible and quality-assured micro-credential systems.
The workshop brought together NOUN management, academics, professional staff, officials of the National Universities Commission (NUC), COL experts and other stakeholders to develop the university’s micro-credentials policy and prepare for the pilot courses.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Chiedu Mafiana, described the initiative as an important step towards strengthening flexible and technology-enabled learning.
“Today we’re not simply opening another workshop. We are taking an important step towards shaping the future of flexible, lifelong and technology-enabled learning in the National Open University of Nigeria,” he said.
He said micro-credentials would enable NOUN to expand access, respond to emerging skills gaps, improve graduate employability and promote lifelong learning.
Mafiana stressed that the university’s objective should extend beyond offering short courses to establishing a credible, flexible, scalable and sustainable micro-credential system.
Representing COL, Professor Jane-Frances Agbu, Adviser, Higher Education, said the Abuja workshop represented the first phase of the organisation’s engagement with NOUN, while the second phase would focus on developing micro-credential courses.
She said the initiative formed part of COL’s wider Commonwealth agenda, which includes regional consultations, national policy development and institutional pilot programmes.
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“The value of micro-credentials rests not simply on their short duration or flexibility. The credibility of micro-credentials depends on a well-articulated policy guideline,” she said.
Agbu said the growing importance of micro-credentials was linked to changes driven by artificial intelligence, digital transformation and evolving employment patterns.
She noted that continuous learning, unlearning and relearning had become increasingly important in responding to changes in the world of work.
Also speaking, Dr. Fumilayo Morebise, who represented the NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, reaffirmed the Commission’s support for the initiative.
“The micro-credential has been a major burning issue. And NUC, as a responsive commission, we don’t want Nigeria to lag behind,” she said.
Morebise said the national framework and emerging guidelines provided a foundation for institutional implementation, with NOUN among the pilot institutions.
She added that lessons from NOUN’s experience would contribute to refining the national guidelines ahead of wider implementation.
The workshop also considered findings from an institutional readiness assessment conducted at NOUN.
The assessment identified opportunities and gaps in areas including policy and governance, quality assurance, staff capacity, digital credentialing, industry recognition, recognition of prior learning, credit transfer and stackability, assessment integrity, artificial intelligence and technical infrastructure.
