FG Introduces New Transparency Portal for Tertiary Institutions
By Ekanem Asuquo
The Federal Government has launched a new digital platform aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and efficiency in the management of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The platform, known as the Federal Government Tertiary Institution Governance and Transparency Platform, was formally unveiled in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who described it as a transformative step in restoring public confidence and promoting better governance in the sector.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Alausa said the platform will serve as a central source of real-time, verified information on operations across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. He noted that for many years, the absence of a unified data system had hindered proper planning, accurate reporting and effective oversight.
“For the first time, Nigeria now has a single nationwide repository of verified information covering student enrolment, government funding for capital, recurrent and personnel costs, research grants, TETFund allocations, student loan interventions and key performance indicators for assessing institutions,” he stated.
Dr Alausa explained that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places strong emphasis on open governance and accountability across public institutions. He added that the portal will enable Nigerians to see how public funds are allocated and utilised within tertiary schools.
According to the minister, the platform will offer numerous benefits to tertiary institutions. These include stronger planning and budgeting processes, improved opportunities for local and international partnerships, enhanced credibility for global collaborations, timely reporting to government and increased competitiveness based on performance standards.
For government, the platform is expected to support evidence-based policy formulation, strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems and deliver better value for public investments in higher education.
Dr Alausa stressed that compliance will be mandatory. All tertiary institutions must submit annual data in the first quarter of each year, and financial reports on the platform will form part of the performance review conducted by relevant authorities. He also said that access to government interventions and funding will now depend on transparency and accountability scores. Institutions must also obtain a clearance certificate from the Director of ICT before benefiting from any TETFund ICT support.
He described the new platform as a reform tool designed to drive transparency, efficiency and results-focused management across the entire tertiary education system.
The ministry stated that the initiative is intended to eliminate long-standing opacity in the sector and align Nigeria with global standards. Institutions will be required to publish annual budget details, including personnel, overhead and capital expenditure. They will also provide data on research grants, clearly separating local and foreign sources, and disclose yearly TETFund allocations.
In addition, schools must provide quarterly updates on the value of their endowment funds and make student population figures public, showing undergraduate and postgraduate numbers.
The ministry emphasised that the portal is part of broader reforms aimed at restoring trust, improving performance-based funding and enhancing Nigeria’s global education ranking. Regular audits will be conducted to ensure compliance.
By making this information publicly accessible, the government expects to curb mismanagement, provide parents and students with clearer insight into how funds are used and encourage a more transparent, accountable environment for teaching, learning and research.
