Miva Open University Produces 1,280 Graduates Unveils AI and Robotics Vision

Miva Open University celebrated its maiden convocation in Lagos, graduating 1,280 students while unveiling ambitious plans in artificial intelligence, robotics, research, and technology-driven education the ceremony held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts (formerly National Arts Theatre) Iganmu, Lagos.

The conferment of first and higher degrees, which cut across School of Computing, School of Management and Social Sciences and School of Postgraduate Studies, produced 241 graduates with first degrees and 1,039 graduated with higher degrees.

The Chancellor and Founder of the university, Sim Shayaga, said the university is founded for Nigerians to power the next generation of global tech leaders, adding that the institution have expanded into new physical learning centres to bring education closer to graduates, and have launched cutting-edge robotics and drone laboratories.

He explained that these laboratories are more than just rooms filled with advanced hardware; they are innovation incubators. “Here, students don’t just read about the future, they build it.

“By mastering autonomous systems, aerial robotics, and hardware engineering, our students are preparing to solve real-world Nigerian challenges, from precision agriculture and logistics to infrastructure monitoring and smart automation. We are shifting the narrative from consuming technology to actively engineering it,” he added.

He disclosed further that the university has also expanded it programmes and recently launched the bachelor’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, one of the first of its kind in the country.

“By investing in AI education, Miva is making a declaration: Nigerians will be the builders of the AI age, not bystanders to it. We will write the algorithms that solve our traffic, manage our grids, diagnose our illnesses, and optimize our farms.

“Every one of those is not a brick in our monument. It is a piece of evidence in an argument that excellence is achievable here, by us, for us.”

Shayaga charged the graduates to be exceptional in their various fields, urging them to build new things in their fields, “build something that wasn’t here before you. The whole country is watching you, and today, because of you, it has a little more reason to believe.”

The Vice Chancellor, Prof Tayo Arulogun, described the convocation as historic and inflection point for the university as it celebrates the maiden graduation cohort, adding, “we are officially expanding beyond the boundaries of traditional teaching institutions. Miva is transforming into a world-class research university.

“We are positioning ourselves to compete with the finest academic institutions globally, not just in exceptional quality of our digital instruction, but also in the depths of our discovery. The structural reality of this transformation is already alive in our graduation ceremony today.”

Congratulating the pioneer students, he described the occasion as a defining moment, not just for the graduates, but also for everyone who believed in them and walked this journey alongside them.

“To your parents, guardians, and families: this achievement is yours as much as it is theirs. The encouragement, patience, and sacrifice you invested have produced something lasting and worthy of great celebration.

“As you step forward into the next chapter, carry with you the values that brought you here, excellence, integrity, and purpose. The world is better for the leaders, thinkers, and professionals you are becoming,” he added.

The keynote speaker, His Royal Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, urged the graduates not to shrink their ambition to fit the current circumstances but expand their capabilities until the circumstances have no choice but to accommodate them.

“Invest in your relationships as seriously as you invest in your skills. The people you surround yourself with will determine the quality of your thinking, the scope of your ambition, and the speed of your progress. Find people who challenge you, who are not satisfied with half measures, and who want to build something that matter. And be that person for others,” he said.

Keep learning you are not leaving education today; you are only leaving one form of it. I have said it many times that kingship without education is worthless and I meant it. Knowledge is not a phase of life, it is life itself.

He added that the world is changing faster than curriculum can track and graduates who will matter in ten years are not those who know the most today but those who are still learning on the day they retire, noting, “Miva gave you a foundation and what you build on it is entirely up to you.”

Commending the university, the Emir said the institution did not take the easy path, stating, “it would have been far simpler to replicate what already existed, to open a campus, hire lecturers, build lecture theatres, and call it done. Instead, the Miva team asked a harder question: What does learning actually need to look like for the Nigerian student of today? And then they built the answer from the ground up.

He added: “Quality is not a function of geography. Rigour is not a function of architecture. And excellence does not require that you sit in a particular building in a particular city. What it requires is a learning environment that is honest, demanding, and designed around the success of the student. That is exactly what your institution, Miva, has set out to build.

In his remarks, the Pro Chancellor, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, explained that the idea behind open and distance learning is definitely not new, but in Nigeria and across Africa, it has often been treated as a lesser option, a path reserved for those who could not gain admission through the conventional route.

According to him, the framing has caused the nation to under invest in a model that, if properly executed, can do more to democratize education than any other intervention we may have had at our disposal. Democratizing education does not mean lowering the standards.

He emphasized that Miva Open University is out to change the narrative and this is evident in the new graduates been released at the maiden convocation of the university.

“You graduates before me today did not receive diluted education. You were held to rigorous standards. You were assessed, challenged, and stretched. You paid for your own data. You sat for the examinations. Asked no one permission to be ambitious. No one will ever be able to tell you that anything was handed to you.

Olowolafe also commended the institution for confronting what he considered the most difficult challenge in open learning, which is quality at scale, noting, “it is relatively straightforward to deliver excellent education in a small cohort. To the class of 2026, you are not just graduates of a university; you are the first chapter of history that has not yet been fully written. I implore you to please write it well.”

Representative of the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Ayoteju Ogun commended Miva Open University for reaching the milestone, which he said reflects vision, innovation, resilience, and institutional commitment.

“Today we celebrate both the achievements of the graduating class and the emergence of an innovative model of higher education that is redefining the future of learning in Nigeria and beyond. One of the most pressing challenges confronting higher education in Nigeria today is the widening gap between the demand for university education and the available capacity within our institutions.  This reality is underscored by the fact that over 2.4 million candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination competing for placements in Nigeria’s 312 universities.

“The commission believes that quality university education should not be limited by geography, age, professional responsibilities, or socio-economic circumstances. Rather, education must be inclusive, flexible, and responsive to the needs of a rapidly evolving world.’’

He commended the university for their vision and commitment to expanding access to quality, technology-enabled education, stating, “I encourage the university to continue investing in excellence, innovation, research, digital infrastructure, and strategic partnerships that will further strengthen its position within Nigeria’s higher education landscape.

Michael Ibe with CGPA of 4. 97 from the Department of Public Policy and Administration emerged overall best student for the undergraduate while Geraldine Ekoh with CGPA 5.0, Master of Business Admission emerged overall best for the masters class.