By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has unveiled a new strategy aimed at reducing Nigerian universities’ dependence on public funding by strengthening alumni engagement, fundraising and strategic partnerships to build financially sustainable and globally competitive institutions.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP) training for university officials, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the initiative was designed to complement government funding by helping universities develop alternative sources of revenue and institutional support.
A statement signed on Thursday by Ikharo Attah- Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, said Alausa, who was represented at the event, described the programme as a strategic intervention that would reposition the country’s higher education system for long-term sustainability through stronger institutional advancement structures.
According to him, the programme signifies a renewed national commitment to equipping universities with the systems, partnerships and capacity required to compete effectively in the global knowledge economy.
While reaffirming the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu administration to supporting higher education, Alausa said universities must also strengthen their internal governance, cultivate strategic partnerships and actively engage their alumni to unlock opportunities for research funding, innovation, scholarships and infrastructure development.
“The National University Advancement Programme is not intended to replace government support for higher education. Rather, it complements existing investments by creating additional pathways for sustainability, innovation, research support, scholarships and long-term institutional growth,” the minister said.
He explained that the programme was established through a partnership involving the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) and the Africa Finance Corporation to institutionalise professionally managed Advancement Offices across federal universities and inter-university centres.
According to Alausa, the offices will coordinate alumni relations, donor engagement, endowment management, strategic communications, fundraising and institutional partnerships to improve universities’ financial resilience, research capacity and international visibility.
He observed that Nigerian universities have a vast but largely untapped alumni network comprising accomplished professionals in business, medicine, science, technology, entrepreneurship and public service across Nigeria and the diaspora.
“When universities maintain strong relationships with their alumni, research receives greater support, students gain access to scholarships and mentorship opportunities, institutions build stronger partnerships, infrastructure improves and innovation expands,” he said.
The minister added that the Federal Government’s long-term vision is to build universities that are financially stronger, capable of long-term planning, driven by vibrant research ecosystems and globally competitive while remaining responsive to Nigeria’s development needs.
He said the training programme was designed to provide university leaders and advancement officers with practical knowledge and global best practices in alumni relations, donor stewardship, fundraising and sustainable institutional development.
Alausa urged participants to return to their institutions and implement reforms that promote accountability, strengthen institutional trust, improve governance and enhance the overall student experience.
He also reiterated that the Federal Government’s education reform agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains focused on strengthening institutions, expanding access to quality education and positioning education as a key driver of national development.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Technical Working Committee of the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation, Claire Jemide, said the Foundation remains committed to strengthening Nigeria’s higher education system through sustained investment in institutions, human capital and strategic partnerships.
She said the Foundation had expanded its interventions beyond supporting outstanding students through the NHEF Scholars Programme to include faculty development, healthcare leadership, university governance and institutional transformation.
According to her, the National University Advancement Programme, launched after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education in January 2026, marks another milestone in equipping universities with the knowledge, systems and strategies needed to strengthen alumni engagement, fundraising, communications and long-term institutional advancement.
The National University Advancement Programme brought together vice-chancellors, university administrators, advancement officers and senior officials from federal universities and inter-university centres for intensive training on international best practices in institutional advancement, donor stewardship, alumni relations and sustainable university development.
