Students of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) are expressing growing frustration as they struggle to access the university’s online portal, which has become increasingly problematic in recent weeks. This issue has been exacerbated by recent directives requiring students to regularize their results and documents through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Godfrey Ogah, a 400-level Mass Communication student, reported to The PUNCH that he has been unable to access his portal for the past three weeks. Ogah discovered that his matriculation number was no longer recognized by the system, despite having used it without issue for over four years. “I was shocked when the portal displayed ‘Matric number not found on NOUN list’ during my login attempts. I’ve been to JAMB, but there has been no resolution,” he said.
In July 2024, NOUN and other open distance learning centers implemented a policy requiring prospective students to register through JAMB to address fraudulent activities and enhance the integrity of candidates’ records. JAMB’s advisory emphasized the importance of providing a National Identification Number (NIN) during registration.
Despite these measures, many NOUN students, including Ogah, are facing difficulties as they were not admitted through JAMB. Ajoke Oni, another 400-level student in the Mass Communication Department, shared similar concerns. “I cannot access my results from the last semester, even after completing my JAMB regularisation. My matric number is no longer found, and I recently discovered that I can no longer access the portal,” Oni lamented. As a final-year student, Oni fears losing all the years invested in her studies and urges NOUN to resolve the portal issues promptly.
Chukwudi Anya recounted his experience, noting that he was alerted by a coursemate about the widespread problem. “I found my matric number missing as well. I haven’t gone to JAMB for regularisation yet because many students who have done so are still unable to access the portal. I’m at my wit’s end,” Anya said.
Efforts to reach NOUN for a response have been unsuccessful. Calls and text messages sent to Mallam Ibrahim Sheme, the university’s spokesperson, have gone unanswered, leaving students in limbo as they await a resolution to their access issues.
