UNILAG AND ODL CONTENTS
VICTOR C. ARIOLE argues that the Open distance learning will help million of youths to receive university education According to the Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Professor Folasade
Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, clarifies that Open Distance Learning (ODL) at Unilag, formerly known as Distance Learning Institute (DLI), now awards degrees equally to conventional and regular students. With over 89 million youths aged 15-30 in Nigeria, the use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be mindful of algorithmic biases and African biases to ensure outcomes that benefit society and adapt to changes.
At a recent event on August 25, 2026, former Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, voiced his support for Unilag DLI's new contents, emphasizing that with over 236 million Nigerians by 2036, and three million youths applying for university education annually, ODL could become the primary means of educating youths. Technology should be utilized to facilitate human development, not just technology development, ensuring that three million youths are tutored and developed to serve humanity.
Professor Dauda faces the challenge of incorporating additional technical courses, drawing insights from Ghana's experience, which requires robust tools. At an auditorium with over 4,000 attendees, international speakers shared their expertise and perspectives on ODL, including Professor Stephen Brown from the United Kingdom's Open University, Professor Femi Peters from Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Dr. Liz Marr from the Centre for Online and Distance Education University of London, Professor Simon-Peter Kafui Aheto from Digital Youth Village Development of University of Ghana, Professor Muhammed Bashir Mu’azu of Ahmadu Bello University DLI and UNESCO Consultant, and Professor Francis Egbokhare of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL).
The successful implementation of ODL at Unilag requires a hybrid approach, combining online and on-campus interactions to prevent value degradation, with appropriate technology, seamless ecosystem interactions, and continuous evaluation of students' behavior throughout their learning journey. In Ghana, where the drop-out rate is high, alumni members are integrated into the system to "prompt and pamper" students to ensure continued participation, focusing on producing technical professionals.
Ghana's population of 36 million, with 15 national public universities and 10 technical universities, provides a model for Nigeria, which could aim to make ODL more accessible to its 2.5 million university students. The Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) is currently working on defining micro-credentials for ODL graduates to make them industry-ready, addressing the gap between experience and graduation.
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