The management of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) says 22,175 students will graduate as it holds its 13th convocation ceremony on April 13.
Olufemi Peters, vice-chancellor of the university, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said 22 students will graduate with first-class honours.
The VC said 15,768 of the graduates are undergraduates while 6,407 are post-graduates.
“This year, a total number of graduands that we have is 22,175 students across our various campuses,” he said.
“Of this number, 15,768 are for undergraduate degrees while 6,407 are for postgraduate degrees. Out of this undergraduate, we have 22 of them in first class, about 1,886 second class upper, about 8,427 students in second class lower and about 3,782 third class.
“For the postgraduates, we have postgraduate diplomas in various fields like agriculture, art, education, management sciences and social sciences totalling 2,362 and for masters, we have 4039 who will be graduating with master’s degrees.
“I’m happy to report that we have six Ph.D. graduates which is an indication that the University is gradually moving towards establishing a more robust post-graduate school.”
Peters said a convocation lecture on Friday will be delivered by the vice-chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania, Professor Elifas Bisanda.
He also disclosed that Innocent Chukuwuma, a prominent Nigerian entrepreneur and founder of Innonso Motors and activist, Hajiya Hafsat Abdulwaheed, the first female novelist in northern Nigeria, would be honoured.
Peters added that the university has increased its study centres from 17 to 120 across the country.
On the issue of NOUN law students and the council of legal education, he said the university is engaging with the council.
The VIC said the university is set to commence the building of the faculty of law this year as part of the engagement.