NOUN Certificate Courses, Fees and Requirements – Full Guide

NOUN offers certificate courses in Entrepreneurship, Vocational Education, and 20+ tech short courses via ACETEL. See the full list, fees from ₦5,000, requirements, and how to apply.

Does NOUN Offer Certificate Courses?

Not everyone needs a four-year degree. Sometimes you need a recognised certificate, fast and cheap, from an institution employers actually respect — and this is where most people underrate the National Open University of Nigeria.

Yes, NOUN offers certificate courses — short, skills-focused programmes that sit below the degree and diploma level. They run through two main channels:

• The Directorate for Entrepreneurship & General Studies (DE&GS) — business and vocational certificates
• ACETEL (Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning) — technology and professional short courses, including CCNA tracks

The entry barriers are deliberately low (as few as three O-level credits for some programmes), the durations are short (the flagship entrepreneurship certificate runs just 8 weeks), and the costs are a fraction of what private training institutes charge for similar content.

Here is everything on offer, what each costs, and how to get in.

Certificate in Entrepreneurship Education (DE&GS)

This is NOUN’s flagship certificate programme — a practical, hands-on business course run by the Directorate for Entrepreneurship & General Studies. It is built for aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, students, and workers planning a side business or full transition into self-employment.

What you will study — all 12 modules:

• NEE001: Entrepreneurial Thinking
• NEE002: Creativity and Innovation
• NEE003: Value Chain and Record-Keeping
• NEE004: Business Modelling
• NEE005: Financial Planning and Management
• NEE006: Marketing
• NEE007: Monitoring and Evaluation
• NEE008: Technology in Business Management
• NEE009: Business Plan Development
• NEE010: How to Win a Grant
• NEE011: Business Sustainability
• NEE012: Statutory Agencies in Business and Business Registration

Notice what is on that list: grant winning, business registration, and record-keeping — the practical gaps that sink most Nigerian small businesses. This is not abstract theory; the programme ends with you producing a business canvas.

Programme structure:

• Total duration: 8 weeks
• Training: 6 weeks
• Examination and Business Canvas: 2 weeks

Admission requirement:

• A minimum of three credit passes at O-Level (WAEC, NECO, or equivalent). That is the entire academic requirement.

Fees:

What it really costs: for a member of the public taking all 12 modules, that is ₦24,000 in module fees plus the ₦5,000 application — roughly ₦29,000 all-in for a federal university certificate in entrepreneurship. Private business schools charge ten times that for weekend programmes.

The success stories are real. NOUN highlights graduates of its entrepreneurship training who went on to win grants — including a student who secured a ₦1 million Tony Elumelu Foundation grant after developing her business idea through the Directorate’s mentorship.

Certificate in Vocational Education (DE&GS)

The Directorate’s second certificate track focuses on vocational and practical skills — designed around NOUN’s network of entrepreneurship incubation centres spread across the six geopolitical zones:

• North-Central Incubation Centre — Abuja
• North-East I Incubation Centre — Maiduguri
• North-East II Incubation Centre — Bogoro
• North-West Incubation Centre — Kano
• South-East Incubation Centre — Enugu
• South-West Incubation Centre — Lagos
• South-South Incubation Centre — Uyo

These centres double as training and business incubation hubs, where participants develop products and services with university mentorship — and incubatees take DE&GS certificate training free of charge. For current details on vocational tracks and intake windows, contact the Directorate at ceags@noun.edu.ng or +234 9062547174.

ACETEL Short Courses (Technology Certificates)

If your interest is tech rather than business, NOUN’s ACETEL runs a catalogue of professional short courses — including internationally recognised networking certification tracks:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Blockchain Technology
• Certified Data Analyst
• CCNA 1, CCNA 2, CCNA 3
• CCNA Cyber Associate
• CCNP
• Cloud Computing
• Cyber Security
• Database Management
• Digital Literacy
• English Language for Non-English Speakers
• Entrepreneurship
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• IT Essentials
• Leadership & Project Management
• Learning Technology
• Open Government Data
• Programming: C, Python, JAVA

Admission requirement: possession of five O-level credits or equivalent, including English or French Language. No degree needed.

These courses are delivered online through ACETEL’s platform, and fees vary by course — check the current schedule on the ACETEL website at https://acetel.nou.edu.ng or email acetel@noun.edu.ng.

NOUN-ICDL Digital Literacy Certification

NOUN also hosts the NOUN-ICDL Centre for Digital Literacy — a TETFund initiative run in partnership with ICDL (International Certification in Digital Literacy). ICDL is one of the most widely recognised computer literacy certifications globally, making this a strong option for civil servants, teachers, and job seekers who need verifiable digital skills on their CV. Enquire through the university’s main channels at centralinfo@noun.edu.ng for current intake details.

Certificate vs Degree: Which Should You Choose?

A quick decision guide, because the two paths serve different goals:

Choose a certificate course if you:

• Need a skill (business, networking, programming) in weeks, not years
• Have limited O-level credits — entrepreneurship needs just three
• Want to test a field before committing to a degree
• Are an entrepreneur who needs the practical toolkit (business plan, registration, grant writing) right now

Choose a degree programme if you:

• Need a qualification for employment progression, NYSC, or postgraduate study
• Want the full academic depth of a discipline
• Meet the five O-level credit requirement for undergraduate entry

The two also stack: many students take the entrepreneurship certificate alongside their NOUN degree, since the skills directly complement the compulsory GST entrepreneurship courses in every undergraduate programme.

How to Apply for NOUN Certificate Courses

The application route depends on the programme:

For the Certificate in Entrepreneurship (DE&GS):

1. Visit the NOUN admission portal at https://nouonline.nou.edu.ng
2. Select the Certificate in Entrepreneurship programme and complete the application form
3. Pay the ₦5,000 application fee
4. Register your modules (₦2,000 each for the public) once admitted
5. Complete the 6-week training, then sit the examination and submit your business canvas

For enquiries, contact the Directorate on 08025845349, email ceags@noun.edu.ng, or visit the DE&GS office at NOUN headquarters, Jabi, Abuja.

For ACETEL short courses: apply through the ACETEL portal at https://acetel.nou.edu.ng and follow the registration instructions for your chosen course.

Watch the intake windows. Certificate programmes run in batches (the entrepreneurship certificate opened its 2025 Batch I in January, for instance), so check the portal or follow NOUN’s official announcements to catch the current application window.

Final Thoughts

NOUN’s certificate courses are one of the most underused opportunities in Nigerian education: a federal university credential, entry requirements as low as three O-level credits, fees under ₦30,000, and durations measured in weeks. Whether it is the 12-module entrepreneurship certificate, a CCNA track through ACETEL, or ICDL digital literacy certification, there is a fast, affordable route to a recognised skill here.

Confirm the current intake at https://nouonline.nou.edu.ng, or contact the Directorate for Entrepreneurship & General Studies at ceags@noun.edu.ng to get started.