MIVA Open University has secured full operational licensing and accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC), three years after its establishment, with the institution announcing plans to expand access to millions of Nigerian learners over the next decade.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tayo Arulogun, disclosed this on Wednesday at a media parley in Abuja, describing the development as a major milestone in the university’s evolution from a start-up institution into a fully accredited university.

Arulogun said the NUC granted MIVA full operational licensing on September 22, with all its take-off programmes now enjoying full accreditation status.

He said the approval should also help address lingering doubts about the credibility of online degrees, stressing that MIVA was no longer operating as a pilot project.

“MIVA is not a pilot anymore. We are a functioning, accredited, growing university, and we will keep growing responsibly, transparently, and in partnership with you,” he said.

Established in March 2023 by the NewGlobe-backed New Lesson Group and licensed by the NUC two months later, MIVA began operations with eight disciplines.

According to the vice-chancellor, the university has since expanded to five undergraduate schools, including Communication and Media Studies, while offering eight postgraduate programmes, among them Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of Public Health and Master of Information Technology.

Arulogun said the institution was founded on the belief that Nigerians should not have to sacrifice their jobs, locations, passions or family responsibilities to obtain university degrees.

“No one should have to give up their income, their location, their passion, or their family to earn a degree,” he said, identifying empathy, innovation and truthfulness as the three values underpinning the university.

He said MIVA had also moved beyond the assumption that access to education was simply a question of internet connectivity, establishing physical study centres where students could access reliable electricity, connectivity and conducive learning environments.

The centres are located in Lagos, Jos, Abuja, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Oyo, Port Harcourt and, most recently, Kaduna.

Arulogun said the university’s maiden convocation in June provided evidence that its model could produce graduates capable of contributing to the Nigerian workforce.

He recalled seeing administrators, accountants, software engineers and public health professionals receive their degrees, describing the occasion as proof that the model had evolved from an experiment into a viable pathway to higher education and employment.

He, however, said MIVA’s next phase would focus increasingly on research and employability.

“We are moving from a teaching-led institution to a research-based university,” he said, adding that the university’s ambition was to reach millions of learners across Nigeria within the next decade.

According to him, the institution’s growth would only be meaningful if it translated into employment opportunities for its graduates.

To strengthen the connection between academic learning and labour-market demands, he said MIVA had entered partnerships with Terra Industries to establish robotics and drone laboratories, while O2 Academy would provide industry-recognised certifications for students.

He also disclosed plans for a N60 million scholarship programme targeted at MIVA students, alongside the launch of an inaugural lecture series designed to give members of its academic community a platform to showcase their research.

Arulogun said the university would continue to invest in technology and academic innovation while maintaining transparency and working with regulators and other stakeholders.

He said the full NUC accreditation had given MIVA the foundation to enter its next phase as an institution focused not only on expanding access to university education but also on equipping graduates with skills demanded by Nigeria’s changing economy.

Also speaking, the Chief Academic Officer, Udochi Obiukwu, said MIVA Open University was focused on ensuring that its academic programmes remained relevant to the changing demands of the labour market, with emphasis on practical skills, flexibility and industry readiness.

Obiukwu said the institution’s academic model was designed to give students the flexibility to combine work, family responsibilities and education without compromising the quality of learning or academic standards.

The Registrar, Lovlyn Okonkwo, said the university had put in place systems to ensure that students received proper academic and administrative support throughout their studies, stressing that accreditation had further strengthened confidence in the institution and its programmes.

Okonkwo said the institution would continue to uphold regulatory requirements and maintain transparency in its dealings with students, regulators and other stakeholders as the university expands its programmes and student population.

Also, the Chief Operating Officer, Aniekeme Umoh, said the university was building the operational structures required to support its expansion, particularly through its physical study centres and student support systems across different parts of the country.

The Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Paul Ehiagbonare, explained that technology remained central to MIVA’s model, with the institution continuing to improve its digital platforms and learning systems to provide students with seamless access to lectures, academic resources, assessments and other university services.