TETFund Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has restated its commitment to making Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions more effective and solution-driven.
This assurance was given on Monday in Lagos by the Chairman of TETFund’s Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari, and the Executive Secretary, Mr Sunday Echono, during the 2025 National Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting. The event brought together representatives of tertiary institutions, staff unions, civil society groups, traditional rulers, community leaders, lawmakers, development partners, and the media.
Guest speakers at the forum were Professor Anthony Kila, Director of the Commonwealth Institute of Professional Studies (CIAPS), and Dr Reuben Abati of Arise Television. Kila spoke on “Tertiary Education in Nigeria and the Relevance of TETFund,” while Abati discussed “TETFund in the Eyes of the Public.”
Masari, a former governor of Sokoto State, said the meeting was organised to encourage open dialogue and feedback that would help improve the nation’s tertiary education system. According to him, TETFund has, over the years, worked to rebuild and modernise higher institutions by providing infrastructure, improving academic standards, supporting research, and helping institutions compete globally.
He noted that the Fund’s interventions cut across infrastructure, human capital development, research, innovation, digitisation, and entrepreneurship. Masari added that although TETFund has made significant progress, more collaboration and innovation are still needed. He also said the Fund plans to expand its efforts to support the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking further, TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Sunday Echono, said the agency aims to produce highly skilled graduates who can solve Nigeria’s problems and contribute meaningfully to the global economy. He stressed that Nigeria must move away from depending on raw material exports and instead focus on knowledge and skills to drive economic growth.
Echono also revealed that TETFund will increase its support to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics, and specialised institutions next year as revenue from the education tax is expected to rise. He explained that while TETFund provides funds, it also monitors how they are used to ensure accountability.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, said education remains the foundation of national development and assured that the Senate will continue to support TETFund. He praised the agency’s leadership for working hard to improve Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Both guest speakers, Prof. Kila and Dr Abati, commended TETFund for its efforts but urged the agency to deepen its interventions, noting that no country can grow beyond the quality of education it provides.
