The Federal Government has criticised the leadership of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for failing to utilise over ₦675 billion allocated through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) over the past 25 years. Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the remarks during the 2025 Annual Directors’ Conference of the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIOD) in Abuja.
Dr Alausa stated that the issue is not a lack of academic expertise but a deficiency in administrative competence. He noted that vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts often lack the systems training required to manage institutional resources effectively and in line with modern governance practices.
“Our tertiary institutions need more systems training to move them to 21st-century ways of managing institutions,” he said. He added that the funds, meant for infrastructure, instructional development, and laboratory upgrades, were not only left idle but also failed to generate any returns due to poor oversight.
In response, the Federal Government has directed all tertiary institutions to submit detailed reports on unutilised TETFund allocations within 30 days. Institutions unable to justify rollovers may have their funds withdrawn and reassigned to priority projects. A public dashboard is also being developed to track disbursement and usage, alongside quarterly compliance reviews.
Dr Alausa called on professional bodies like CIOD to assist in modernising institutional governance. He emphasised that effective leadership, guided by evidence-based policies, is essential to reposition Nigeria’s education sector for global competitiveness.
TETFund recently received ₦1.6 trillion in allocations, funded by a three percent education tax on company profits. Of this, ₦460 billion was earmarked for interventions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Additional allocations include ₦225 billion for student loans, ₦70 billion for energy support, and ₦25 billion for campus security.
