Accredited Open Universities in Nigeria 2026 (Full NUC List)

Quick summary:

Nigeria has five universities licensed to run only as open universities: the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN, public) and four private ones, Miva Open University, Iconic Open University, West Midland Open University and Al-Muhibbah Open University. On top of these, the National Universities Commission (NUC) lists 34 conventional universities with approved open and distance learning (ODL) centres, including the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, LASU, Covenant University and Babcock University. Always confirm a university and your programme on the NUC website before you pay any fees.

If you want a degree while working, or without moving to a campus, you have more choices than most people think. But fake "online universities" and unapproved study centres are common in Nigeria, so it matters that you pick one the NUC actually recognises.

This list comes from the NUC's own page of approved distance learning centres, checked on 13 November 2026, plus the five universities NUC lists as open universities.

The five open universities in Nigeria

These universities exist only to teach at a distance. All their students study this way.

NUC named these five open universities in 2023 and again in a bulletin in February 2025.

University	Ownership	Notes
National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)	Federal (public)	Nigeria's largest university by student numbers, with study centres across the country
Miva Open University, Abuja	Private	Fully online. Licensed by NUC in 2023; programmes fully accredited in September 2026
Iconic Open University, Sokoto	Private	Licensed in 2023; granted a full statutory licence by NUC in September 2026
West Midland Open University, Ibadan	Private	On NUC's list of approved open universities
Al-Muhibbah Open University, Abuja	Private	On NUC's list of approved open universities

For fees and courses, see Miva Open University courses and school fees and our Miva vs NOUN comparison.

NUC-approved distance learning centres (34 universities)

These are conventional universities that also run approved distance learning centres. You earn a degree from the university itself, studying mostly online or at weekends.

#	University	Ownership	Distance learning centre
1	University of Ibadan	Federal	Distance Learning Centre
2	Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning
3	University of Lagos, Akoka	Federal	Distance Learning Institute
4	University of Maiduguri	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning
5	Modibbo Adama University, Yola	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning
6	University of Abuja	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education
7	Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso	State	LAUTECH Distance Learning Centre
8	Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria	Federal	Distance Learning Centre
9	Lagos State University	State	Open and Distance Learning and Research Institute
10	Joseph Ayo Babalola University	Private	Center for Distance Learning
11	University of Nigeria, Nsukka	Federal	Center for Distance and e-Learning
12	Federal University of Technology, Minna	Federal	Center for Open Distance and e-Learning
13	Babcock University, Ilishan	Private	Center for Open Distance and e-Learning
14	University of Ilorin	Federal	Center for Open and Distance Learning
15	Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti	Private	Open and Distance Learning Centre
16	Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye	State	Open and Distance Learning Centre
17	Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt	State	Institute of Distance Education
18	Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto	Federal	Centre for Open and Distance Education
19	Enugu State University of Science and Technology	State	Open and Distance Learning Centre, Agbani
20	University of Benin	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning
21	University of Calabar	Federal	Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning
22	University of Port Harcourt	Federal	Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning
23	Igbinedion University, Okada	Private	Centre for Open and Distance Learning
24	Mountain Top University	Private	Open and Distance Learning Centre
25	Federal University of Technology, Akure	Federal	Open and Distance Learning Centre
26	Covenant University	Private	Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning
27	Nasarawa State University	State	Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning
28	Delta State University, Abraka	State	Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning
29	Nile University, Abuja	Private	Centre for Distance Learning
30	Federal University, Oye-Ekiti	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning
31	Bayero University, Kano	Federal	Centre for Distance Learning
32	Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin	Private	Centre for Distance Learning
33	Thomas Adewumi University	Private	Centre for Distance Learning
34	Caleb University	Private	Centre for Distance Learning

Being on this list means the university's distance learning centre is approved. It does not mean every course is offered by distance learning. NUC approves programmes one by one, so check that your exact course is approved for distance learning at that university.

Private open and online universities

If you want a private option:

Four private universities are licensed to run entirely as open universities: Miva, Iconic, West Midland and Al-Muhibbah. Miva's programmes received full NUC accreditation in September 2026, and Iconic received its full statutory licence the same month. Whichever you choose, check the accreditation status of your exact programme before you apply.
Several private universities run approved distance learning centres: Babcock, Covenant, Afe Babalola, Joseph Ayo Babalola, Igbinedion, Mountain Top, Nile, Al-Hikmah, Thomas Adewumi and Caleb.

Foreign online universities (for example, Nexford) are a different case: they are not licensed by NUC as Nigerian universities. See Miva vs Nexford for what that means in practice.

How to check if an open university is approved

Check the NUC website. NUC publishes its list of approved distance learning centres on nuc.edu.ng.
Check that your programme is approved for distance learning at that university, not just the university itself.
Use the university's official website to apply, never a link sent by an agent.
Avoid "degree in six months" offers. NUC regularly warns against illegal universities and unapproved study centres.
Pay only into the university's official payment channel. Get a receipt from the university's portal.

Are open university certificates recognised?

Yes, if the university and programme are approved by NUC. Your certificate is a degree like any other from that university. For NOUN specifically, see is the NOUN certificate recognised? and NOUN certificate vs a regular university certificate.

One difference to know: graduates of open universities such as NOUN and Miva are currently excluded from NYSC and receive an exclusion letter instead. The Federal Government has said open university graduates should be included, and NUC said in 2026 it would review NOUN's exclusion, but this has not yet changed. For distance learning graduates of conventional universities, check with the university how NYSC mobilisation works for your programme.

Which open university should you choose?

Lowest cost, widest course list, physical study centres: NOUN
Fully online, private: Miva Open University, or the other private open universities (Iconic, West Midland, Al-Muhibbah)
A degree from a well-known conventional university while working: one of the 34 distance learning centres above, such as UNILAG, UI, OAU or ABU

For a side-by-side comparison of the main online options, see our top online universities in Nigeria.

FAQs

How many open universities are in Nigeria?

Five, according to NUC: NOUN (public), and Miva, Iconic, West Midland and Al-Muhibbah (private). NUC also lists 34 conventional universities with approved distance learning centres.

Is Miva Open University accredited by NUC?

Yes. Miva was licensed by NUC in 2023, and NUC granted full accreditation for its take-off programmes in September 2026.

Which federal universities offer distance learning?

They include the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Ilorin, University of Benin, University of Abuja and others in the table above.

Can I get a degree online in Nigeria?

Yes, from NOUN, Miva Open University, or one of the NUC-approved distance learning centres. Check that your programme is approved for distance learning before you apply.

Is an online degree the same as a regular degree?

A degree from an NUC-approved distance learning programme is a degree from that university. Employers who need NYSC may treat open university graduates differently because of the NYSC exclusion.

List of Accredited Open Universities in Nigeria (2026): 5 Open Universities and 34 NUC-Approved Distance Learning Centres