NUC to Engage NYSC for NOUN Graduates' Participation in National Service

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, announced on Saturday, April 18, 2026, that the commission will engage the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to allow eligible graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to participate in national service. 

Prof. Ribadu made this statement during NOUN’s 15th Convocation Ceremony in Abuja, where he represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the university's Visitor. 

The push for inclusion is driven by a significant shift in the student population profile at NOUN. Historically, the institution's graduates were largely working professionals aged 30 and above, who were ineligible for service due to age. However, the NUC has observed a growing number of younger graduates who fall within the eligible service age bracket. 

President Tinubu, through his representative, also shared plans to reposition NOUN as a globally competitive online university, further integrating digital education into the national framework.