The University of Nigeria Business School (UNNBS) has moved more than 75 per cent of its teaching hours online as it steps up efforts to attract professionals beyond its immediate location and compete with established business schools internationally.
The school is also seeking to strengthen its professional training programmes through an expanded partnership with the International School of Deposit Insurance Studies (ISDIS), particularly in financial intelligence, deposit protection and risk management.
The Director of UNNBS, Enugu Campus, Professor Robinson Onuoha-Ugwuoke, disclosed the figures during his first strategic visit to ISDIS headquarters in Abuja since assuming office. He said digital learning was central to his plan to build the business school into a recognised centre for management and professional education in Africa and beyond.
“Most of our programmes are taught online. Presently, we have more than 75 per cent of our contact [hours] done online,” he said.
The arrangement allows students to participate in lectures from different locations without having to attend physical classes throughout their programmes. It could also make professional education more accessible to working Nigerians who cannot easily leave their jobs or relocate to attend conventional university programmes.
However, online delivery alone does not establish the quality or international standing of a business school. Accreditation, research output, industry partnerships, faculty strength and the career prospects of graduates will also determine whether UNNBS can compete with established institutions.
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Onuoha-Ugwuoke said his ambition was to position the school among the leading business education institutions in Nigeria and West Africa, with the capacity to stand alongside recognised international brands.
A major part of the discussions with ISDIS centred on the Certificate in Deposit Protection and Financial Intelligence (CDPFI), a professional programme jointly developed by both institutions and pre-launched in 2025 to assess market interest.
The course is designed to address skills gaps in financial intelligence, deposit protection and risk management.
These areas are important to the stability of financial institutions because effective deposit protection helps safeguard eligible bank customers when financial institutions fail, while financial intelligence supports the detection and prevention of illicit financial activities.
During the visit, the UNNBS director inspected ISDIS facilities and received a demonstration of its online learning platform, powered by Sapphital Limited. The assessment was intended to establish the institution’s technical capacity and identify areas requiring attention before the partnership expands.
Onuoha-Ugwuoke said UNNBS would assess the capacity of every institution it collaborates with, adding that both partners must understand their responsibilities and expected benefits from the beginning.
ISDIS Dean of Research, Dr Kingsley Nwaigwe, welcomed the visit and expressed confidence in the partnership. Its Dean of Technology, Amu Ogbeide, also pledged the institution’s readiness to expand digital learning opportunities for more students.
The business school has also introduced security measures on its premises and is considering taking examinations closer to students in areas with significant enrolment.
Despite these plans, UNNBS has not disclosed a timetable for the proposed expansion, its projected enrolment figures or the financial resources committed to the digital learning programme. Such details will help prospective students assess the cost, reach and practical value of the initiative.
Ultimately, the school’s international ambition will be judged not by its online lecture figures alone, but by the quality of its qualifications, the competence of its graduates and the professional opportunities its programmes create.
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