Abstract: The phrase 'capacity building and development' suggests right from onset a dynamic process. "Development" for example, is a terminology associated with progress and change. On the other hand, "Capacity Building" is a phrase which shares conceptual neighbourhood with "growth and experiential change". These simple but obvious concepts are essential today in understanding fully the dimensions of capacity building and developmental stages expected in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) projects in a country like Nigeria.
Distance Education symbolises three dimensional (3-D) approach to capacity building and development for ODL in Nigeria. ODL practitioners' development and expertise training programmes must focus on evolving a new generation of experts who are ready to traverse the trajectories defined bv the three coordinates of an ODL system, namely, flexibility, diversity and access. Non-flexible strait-jacket policies, access-restricted standards (under the guise of guarding quality) and mono- (non-multi-) skill acquiescence on the part of practitioners are obvious threats to result-oriented capacity building programmes in any emerging ODL institution.
This paper therefore discusses various dimensions of capacity building and development in ODL, applicable especially in a Nigerian context. The paper equally proposes an advocacy model as part of a capacity building initiative for ODL in Nigeria.