Chidimma Uchegbu
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has launched the development of a National Micro-Credential Framework to reposition Nigeria’s higher education system for the global economy. The initiative aims to strengthen skills acquisition, employability, and lifelong learning.
Declaring open a two-day Stakeholders’ Capacity Building Workshop at the NUC headquarters in Abuja, on Monday, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, described the initiative as a strategic reform designed to align university education with labour market realities and technological advancement.
The workshop, organised in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning ,COL, brought together representatives of regulatory and workforce development agencies, universities, polytechnics, colleges, industry stakeholders and resource persons to chart a clear path for integrating micro-credentials into Nigeria’s higher education framework.
Prof. Ribadu said the initiative is anchored on the National Policy on Education, which mandates that education in Nigeria must be functional, relevant and geared toward equipping citizens with appropriate skills, competencies and values for national development.
“As the nature of work continues to evolve, traditional programme structures alone may not sufficiently address the need for continuous upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning,” he said.
“Micro-credentials are emerging globally as a complementary mechanism for delivering short-cycle, outcomes-based learning aligned with specific skills and competencies.”
He was quick to clarify that micro-credentials are not intended to replace conventional degree programmes, but to serve as flexible learning pathways that enhance access to education, support targeted skills development and strengthen the linkage between higher education and the world of work.
The NUC boss acknowledged the sustained partnership of the Commonwealth of Learning in advancing reforms that promote quality, access and relevance in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
He cited previous collaborations, including the development of a Graduate Employability Framework and high-level sensitisation on mainstreaming Open Educational Resources,OER,in Nigerian universities.
According to him, the proposed National Micro-Credential Framework will be firmly grounded in national education policy objectives and aligned with the NUC’s quality assurance mandate.
It will also provide clear guidance on the design, delivery, assessment, recognition and progression pathways for micro-credentials within the Nigerian university system.
Over the course of the workshop, stakeholders are expected to deliberate on key issues such as the conceptualisation of micro-credentials within Nigeria’s higher education structure, quality assurance considerations in line with NUC standards, credit accumulation and transfer mechanisms, institutional readiness, and implementation strategies.
Participants will also examine how micro-credentials can drive skills development, boost employability outcomes and deepen the culture of lifelong learning across the country.
Prof. Ribadu stressed that stakeholder engagement and inclusiveness remain central to the Commission’s regulatory philosophy, noting that the credibility and success of the framework would depend on broad-based input from academia, industry and policy institutions.
“Your expertise and institutional perspectives are critical to ensuring that the emerging framework is practical, credible and aligned with national priorities, while maintaining the integrity and standards of Nigerian university education,” he told participants.
The initiative signals a forward-looking shift in Nigeria’s education policy, as the country seeks to equip its workforce with agile, industry-relevant skills in an era defined by digital transformation, innovation and global competitiveness.
With the formal declaration of the workshop open, the NUC has set in motion what could become a landmark reform,one that redefines how skills are acquired, recognised and deployed in Nigeria’s higher education landscape.
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