The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to disburse a total of N6.452 billion to beneficiary tertiary institutions across Nigeria under its 2026 intervention cycle.
Okay News reports that the disclosure was made on Tuesday in Abuja by TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono during a stakeholders’ workshop with heads of beneficiary institutions focused on the 2026 disbursement guidelines.
The planned intervention provides uniform allocations for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, continuing TETFund’s push to strengthen infrastructure, research, innovation, and academic output in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Echono explained that each university will receive N2.525 billion, polytechnics N1.871 billion, and colleges of education N2.056 billion respectively.
He noted that direct disbursements account for about 90.75 per cent of the funds, comprising 50 per cent annual direct disbursements and 43.75 per cent special direct disbursements.
Under the annual direct disbursement component, all 271 beneficiary institutions will receive uniform allocations regardless of age, size, or enrolment: N2,525,932,228.02 for universities, N1,871,059,920.53 for polytechnics, and N2,056,527,973.04 for colleges of education.
The funds are designed to strengthen critical physical infrastructure, enhance academic programmes, boost research and innovation, and drive overall transformation across the sector.
Echono highlighted a new intervention line aimed at improving access to global academic resources and integrating the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform into NgREN with effect from the 2026 cycle.
He expressed optimism that the investments would make 2026 a year of measurable growth, innovation, and impact.
Beyond allocations, TETFund will continue upgrading research and development facilities, laboratories, and workshops, while strengthening student exposure programmes through private-sector partnerships.
Echono disclosed that four research laboratories are expected to be completed and commissioned this year, with two more recently commenced and scheduled for completion next year.
In agriculture, the Fund is transitioning large university farms to modern greenhouses and equipment to improve productivity and reduce labour intensity.
The ICT roadmap will be strengthened through expanded digital services, experienced centres, substation-based internet access, and advanced international education research and application services.
The Executive Secretary urged heads of institutions to fully utilise their 2025 allocations, stressing that future disbursements would be tied to performance, enrolment levels, and demonstrated progress.
Institutions with unutilised funds will not receive additional allocations until existing resources are fully deployed.
TETFund is also promoting knowledge sharing, supporting initiatives that enhance skills, and ensuring prompt payment to contractors.
In January 2024, TETFund approved over N643 billion for public tertiary institutions, with universities receiving about N1.9 billion each, polytechnics around N1.16 billion, and colleges of education roughly N1.4 billion.
For the 2025 cycle, allocations rose significantly to around N700 billion, with universities set to receive about N2.8 billion each, polytechnics N1.9 billion, and colleges of education N2.1 billion.
The 2025 cycle tied funding more closely to priority areas such as infrastructure upgrades, research and innovation, and rehabilitation of dilapidated facilities.
 has announced plans to disburse a total of N6.452 billion to beneficiary tertiary institutions across Nigeria under its 2026 intervention cycle.){kind=link}