By Felix Khanoba
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has signaled its intent to withdraw support from beneficiary institutions that consistently fall short of set standards or mishandle allocated funds.
Speaking during a one-day strategic meeting in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, addressed heads of institutions, bursars, and procurement officers, stressing that the move is not punitive but necessary to protect the credibility of the Fund’s interventions.
“Let me be clear, institutions that consistently fail to access, utilize or retire funds appropriately, or that fall short of enrollment and academic performance thresholds, risk being delisted as TETFund beneficiary institutions,” Echono stated.
He underscored that the Fund seeks to direct its resources toward institutions that uphold high standards of governance, transparency, and accountability.
According to Echono, the engagement was convened to tackle ongoing challenges in the nation’s tertiary education system, improve project delivery, and raise academic quality. A key area of focus is the Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) programme.
He said due to increasing training costs and cases of scholars absconding, the foreign component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) has been officially suspended from January 1, 2025. The Fund will now shift focus to more sustainable, locally-based academic development.
Speaking further, Echono said : “This engagement is not merely a meeting but a strategic convergence. It is designed to address recurring issues of concern, streamline project implementation and enhance the overall quality of tertiary education delivery in our nation,” he said.
“We stand at a critical juncture, where collective action, transparent processes and responsible governance can determine the future trajectory of our higher education institutions. Let me begin by focusing on one of the central interventions supported by the Fund, the Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) intervention.
“As you all are aware, we made the difficult decision to suspend the foreign component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) due to the rising costs of training abroad, coupled with the increasing rates of scholar abscondment. Effective from January 1, 2025, we officially suspended this foreign scholarship component.
“This decision was not made lightly but it is in recognition of the need for a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to training and developing our academic staff. However, despite this suspension, we remain committed to enhancing the skills and capacity of our academic staff.
“The Fund continues to place emphasis on locally driven academic development programs and professional development, ensuring that our scholars can continue to receive top-tier training, albeit within a more manageable cost framework.
Echono also highlighted increased allocations to key research initiatives in 2025, including the National Research Fund, the Research and Innovation Fund, and the Research for Industry (Triple Helix) model.
“Research remains a cornerstone of our developmental mission,” he said. “This engagement is a call to action. It is a platform to learn, reflect and commit to best practices in governance, project management and compliance.
“We must use this opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue, identify areas for improvement and renew our collective commitment to the transformation of Nigeria’s tertiary education system. As we move forward, let us approach today’s discussions with openness, collaboration, and a shared vision to elevate our institutions and the students we serve.
“Together, we can strengthen accountability, drive innovation, and ensure that the legacy of TETFund remains impactful, equitable and enduring for generations to come.”
Representing the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, Dr. Joshua Atah commended TETFund for organising the stakeholder dialogue.
He noted that such engagements are crucial for assessing the implementation and effectiveness of the Fund’s interventions across Nigeria’s higher education institutions.
The NUC, he said, recognises TETFund’s pivotal role in infrastructure development, research funding, staff training, and academic quality improvement, pointing out that public tertiary institutions would face severe hardship without such support.
He also praised the Fund’s decision to rechannel resources by suspending overseas scholarships in favour of more efficient local alternatives.
“Therefore, this calls for greater responsiveness also on the part of the institutions. And this responsiveness also includes the areas of the design and implementation of these interventions to ensure that they remain relevant, impactful, and align with the future of education in Nigeria.
“It’s also important that we judiciously utilise these resources, and not just judicious utilisation but also in a timely manner so that we don’t lose the fund.”
