By Felix Khanoba
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has approved the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) as a beneficiary institution, paving the way for annual funding allocations from 2027 to strengthen technical education, research and innovation in the defence sector.
The approval is expected to support the development of critical infrastructure, specialised laboratories, information and communication technology facilities, staff capacity and research programmes at DICON Institute of Technology.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed this in Abuja when the Director-General of DICON, Maj.-Gen. Babatunde Alaya, and his delegation visited the Fund to discuss the institute’s development needs and implementation priorities.
Echono said the Fund’s Board of Trustees approved DICON’s inclusion at its meeting held the previous week, formally making the institution eligible for interventions under TETFund’s various funding programmes.
“Effectively, they are now members of the TETFund family, and from 2027, they will begin to receive annual allocations from TETFund,” he said.
He urged the institution to establish an effective administrative framework for accessing and utilising the funds, advising its management to appoint qualified desk officers to coordinate applications across the different intervention areas.
According to him, the officers should possess the expertise required to prepare proposals, monitor projects and ensure compliance with the Fund’s guidelines to achieve measurable results.
The TETFund boss emphasised the importance of strengthening technical education, particularly in areas such as welding and fabrication, mechatronics and other specialised engineering disciplines needed to expand Nigeria’s domestic manufacturing capacity.
He said developing local technical expertise would help reduce the country’s dependence on foreign specialists while supporting industrial growth and technological advancement.
“Technology has become so advanced that you can programme your entire welding scheme, and the equipment can carry out the cutting and other processes, helping you accomplish a lot within a short time,” he said.
Echono also encouraged DICON Institute of Technology to participate in TETFair, the Fund’s national exhibition of research, innovation and manufacturing, scheduled for November, to showcase its capabilities and achievements.
He expressed TETFund’s readiness to collaborate with DICON in research and innovation, particularly in defence and security, noting that the institution could nominate a qualified researcher to participate in the Fund’s national research grant and monitoring committee.
The committee covers several thematic areas, including military and defence, providing an opportunity for DICON to contribute its expertise to research initiatives addressing the country’s strategic needs.
Earlier, Alaya said the visit was intended to brief TETFund on the progress made by DICON and obtain guidance on meeting the institute’s take-off and early-stage development requirements following its enlistment as a beneficiary.
He explained that DICON Institute of Technology was established to develop the engineering and technical manpower required to support Nigeria’s defence manufacturing industry and broader industrial development.
“The institute was established to address Nigeria’s critical need for skilled technical manpower in manufacturing, engineering, applied sciences and allied fields,” he said.
Alaya disclosed that the institution had been formally classified as a federal polytechnic, with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) approving six National Diploma programmes.
The programmes are Welding and Fabrication Technology, Foundry Technology, Computer Science, Science Laboratory Technology, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, and Mechatronics Engineering Technology.
According to him, admissions are open across the six programmes, with an approved student capacity of about 960.
He said the institution had established basic facilities, including classrooms, male and female hostels, laboratories and a library, but required additional infrastructure and specialised equipment to deliver effective practical training.
“We have some structures on the ground, such as classroom infrastructure, hostels for both male and female students, laboratories, a library and so on. However, we still need to move beyond what is on the ground,” he said.
The DICON director-general identified modern welding simulators, computing and networking facilities, and specialised mechatronics laboratories as some of the institute’s immediate priorities.
He said the management would develop a phased institutional development plan outlining project costs, implementation timelines and measurable educational outcomes to guide its expansion.
“ We seek your guidance on the appropriate mechanism for addressing DICON Institute of Technology’s take-off and early-stage development needs, including any necessary role of the Federal Ministry of Education or other competent authorities,” he said.
Alaya assured TETFund that the institution would prioritise essential requirements, maintain financial accountability and ensure the proper maintenance of facilities and equipment provided.
He said the ultimate goal was to establish a credible technical institution capable of producing skilled graduates to meet the demands of Nigeria’s industrial and defence manufacturing sectors.
“Our objective is to build a credible institution capable of producing technically competent graduates who will contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s industrial and defence industrial development,” he said.
