The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Monday inaugurated a joint committee to develop a framework for introducing Citizenship Studies into the curriculum of Nigerian universities.
The event took place at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja and brought together representatives of the NOA, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Nigerian media.
Director-General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who inaugurated the committee, tasked its members with producing a draft curriculum for consideration and eventual adoption by the NUC.
He said the initiative aligns with the Nigerian Identity Project (NIP), which includes the National Values Charter (NVC), describing it as a national movement aimed at rebuilding the country’s foundational values.
Issa-Onilu explained that the NVC represents a renewed social contract between the Nigerian state and its citizens, built around two core pillars: the Nigerian Promise, which outlines entitlements for every citizen, and the Citizen Codes, which define the values citizens are expected to uphold.
He said these principles must be taught early and deliberately, noting that Citizenship Studies have already been incorporated into primary and secondary school curricula.
He urged the committee to ensure that universities produce not only graduates but well-grounded citizens who embody national values with honour and dignity.
Speaking on behalf of the NUC delegation, Mrs. Florence Uju Onuoha welcomed the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the initiative, describing it as a significant step toward nurturing responsible citizenship, strengthening democratic values and fostering national unity.
She pledged that the committee would work closely with curriculum development experts to deliver on its mandate.