NOUN to Strengthen Strategic Partnership with WACREN to Advance Digital Education

 The Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, has reaffirmed the institution's commitment to deepening its collaboration with the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN).

During a strategic visit by a WACREN delegation to the University’s headquarters on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Professor Uduma emphasized that the partnership is vital to NOUN’s mission of leading digital education and research networks across the sub-region. 

The Africa Digital Campus: Building on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in December 2025, the partnership aims to transition key academic projects to a centralized digital hub.

Strengthening high-speed secure network infrastructure and enhancing research capabilities through platforms such as NOUN’s Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL).

The WACREN team, led by Chief Strategy Officer Mr. Omo Oaiya, alongside Emeritus Professor Ogugua Aworh and Professor Charles Uwaidia (Chair of Eko-Konnect), expressed satisfaction with the existing relationship, which they described as "flourishing." 

Professor Uduma noted that NOUN’s status as a household name in Open Access education is underpinned by robust digital infrastructure, and he pledged full administrative support for all initiatives arising from this partnership. 

The meeting was attended by NOUN’s top management, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellors for Administration and Technology, Innovation and Research (TIR), the University Librarian, and directors of key academic and ICT units.