The National Open University of Nigeria has named Professor Samaila Mande as the Director of its Business School, a move the Academy of Management Nigeria described as a strategic step towards strengthening professional education and academic excellence in Nigeria.

Mande, who serves as President of the Academy of Management Nigeria, brings to the role extensive experience in marketing, public relations, and strategic management, alongside a strong background in teaching, research, and institutional development.

His appointment is expected to accelerate the repositioning of the NOUN Business School as a leading centre for professional master's and doctoral programmes designed to meet global standards and local industry demands.

In the new role, Mande is expected to provide strategic leadership for the design and delivery of innovative academic programmes, including professional master's and doctoral offerings, while driving partnerships with industry stakeholders across Nigeria and beyond.

He is also expected to enhance research output and expand the school's capacity for flexible, technology driven learning, reinforcing NOUN's broader mission of accessible and quality education.

The NOUN Business School is a specialised arm of the university dedicated to providing high quality, flexible, and accessible business education at the postgraduate level. Its programmes are structured to equip professionals and entrepreneurs with practical skills, strategic insight, and leadership capabilities suited to today's global economy.

The Academy of Management Nigeria, in announcing the appointment, expressed confidence that Mande's leadership would position the Business School as a centre of excellence in professional and technology driven education.