The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has recorded a sharp increase in its budget from N320.3 billion in 2023 to N1.6 trillion in 2025.
The Chairman of TETFund Board of Trustees (BoT), Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari, disclosed this at the 2026 National Town Hall Meeting of the Fund held in Abuja on Thursday.
Masari said the increase reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening tertiary education and developing Nigeria’s human capital.
He explained that TETFund’s budget rose from N320.3 billion in 2023 to N683.4 billion in 2024 before reaching N1.6 trillion in 2025, representing approximately five times the 2023 allocation. He, however, stressed that the resources must produce tangible results in academic performance, research output and graduate employability.
The BoT Chairman disclosed that 271 beneficiary institutions were covered under TETFund’s 2026 annual direct intervention, with allocations of approximately N2.526 billion for each university, N1.871 billion for each polytechnic and N2.057 billion for each college of education.
According to him, the Fund had committed N10 billion in 2026 to developing skills acquisition centres in polytechnics nationwide, while supporting innovation and entrepreneurship facilities in 12 universities. He added that N48 billion had been approved for upgrading engineering and technology facilities.
Masari further revealed that approximately N6.09 billion had been approved for 174 successful research proposals under the National Research Fund’s 2025 grant cycle. He also announced that presidential approval had been secured for six additional Centres of Excellence in robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity, bringing the total number of TETFund-supported centres to 36.
He urged beneficiary institutions to ensure transparency, prudent financial management, effective leadership and proper maintenance of facilities, warning that increased funding alone could not resolve every challenge confronting tertiary education. He also called for stronger partnerships between institutions and their host communities to protect infrastructure and sustain development.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Government was pursuing curriculum reforms to ensure that tertiary education produced graduates with practical competencies relevant to industry and national development. He commended TETFund for supporting infrastructure, research, staff development, specialised equipment and curriculum reforms.
Alausa said the reforms included a proposed transition to a curriculum model comprising 80 per cent practical training and 20 per cent theoretical learning, replacing the existing approach to strengthen hands-on skills and prepare graduates for employment and entrepreneurship.
The minister disclosed that the reforms had produced 36 new and reviewed National Diplomas, 10 National Diplomas in additional programme areas, 30 National Certificates in Education in additional areas, and 21 National Occupational Standards, comprising 27 newly developed and four reviewed standards. He said the government would continue to align academic programmes with technological developments and labour market demands.
Alausa also emphasised the need to expand access to quality education through initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), stressing that financial hardship, disability and geographical disadvantages should not prevent qualified Nigerians from accessing and completing their education.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, described education as a critical driver of human capital development, innovation and national productivity. He said sustained investment in infrastructure, instructional materials, research and academic development was essential to strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness.
Akume called for effective monitoring, evaluation and transparent reporting of education programmes, warning that inadequate facilities, delayed access to essential resources and poor maintenance could undermine the impact of government investments. He urged institutions to ensure that public resources were properly managed and projects delivered tangible benefits.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed that more than 418 projects were ready for commissioning across beneficiary institutions, with 14 projects scheduled for commissioning at one institution. He said the Fund was expanding its investments in infrastructure, research, student welfare, innovation and digital learning to improve the quality of tertiary education.
Echono added that TETFund was supporting student innovation by helping students develop ideas, protect their intellectual property and connect with industries for commercialisation. He said student transportation initiatives covered 42 institutions, while about 98 schools had electric-powered vehicles intended to provide affordable transport for students.
He further disclosed that TETFund was working with the Ministry of Labour and other agencies to identify priority manpower needs and align skills development with the demands of the economy.
The stakeholders stressed that sustained investment, accountability, effective management and measurable outcomes were necessary to ensure that increased funding translated into improved tertiary education and national development.
