TETFund Allocates N70bn to Tackle Energy Crisis, Drive Digital Transformation in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

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25/11/25 • 11 Vues • 0 Partager • Publié dans Autre

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to resolving the longstanding energy crisis in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions with the allocation of N70 billion in the 2025 national budget for the deployment of sustainable mini-grid power solutions on selected campuses.

Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Bello Masari, made this known at the Lagos edition of the 2025 National Town Hall Meeting, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel. He described the allocation as a bold and strategic step toward addressing the chronic energy shortages hindering teaching, research, and innovation in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide.

Masari noted that TETFund is driving efforts to position Nigerian tertiary institutions for a digital, innovation-driven future, emphasising that the fund is modernising administrative systems, enhancing learning quality, and strengthening institutional capacity across the country.

According to him, “The future of education is digital,” adding that the Fund is equipping institutions with advanced tools to improve accountability, streamline administration, monitor projects effectively, and expand e-learning—anchored on the TETFund Education Resource and Administration System (TERAS).

“These investments promote transparency, enhance operational efficiency, and expand digital literacy across campuses—critical for preparing students for the modern knowledge economy,” he said.

Masari stressed that TETFund’s mandate extends far beyond infrastructure.

“TETFund is not just about erecting physical structures. It is about building globally competitive institutions driven by innovation, knowledge, and human capital,” he added.

He highlighted substantial progress in manpower development, noting that thousands of academic staff have benefitted from TETFund-funded Master’s and PhD programmes—both locally and internationally—alongside support for conferences, manuscript development, teaching practice, and professional certifications.

On research and innovation, Masari listed major initiatives powered by the Fund, including:

TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR), which has produced over 200 prototypes now advancing toward commercialisation.
Research for Impact (R4i), which has trained 939 researchers to translate ideas into market-ready solutions.
The establishment of Multidisciplinary Research Laboratories and Centres of Excellence across all geopolitical zones.
The Nigerian Education Data Initiative (NEDI) for real-time, evidence-based policy planning.

He further announced that TETFund is expanding its innovation ecosystem through state-of-the-art Entrepreneurship and Technology Hubs equipped with robotics, 3D printing, renewable energy labs, biotechnology centres, and creative industry workspaces. Eighteen institutions benefited in 2024, with 15 newly added for 2025.

To strengthen medical training, the Fund has upgraded 18 Colleges of Medicine and is establishing eight medical simulation centres nationwide.

Masari reiterated that 91% of TETFund’s revenue goes directly to educational interventions—covering annual disbursements, special projects, zonal interventions, and disaster recovery—while stressing that only public institutions with valid regulatory approval are eligible for funding.

He urged institutions, communities, alumni, and industry stakeholders to jointly ensure maintenance and sustainability of TETFund-supported projects.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, also emphasised that knowledge and skills—not natural resources—now determine global competitiveness, calling for increased investment in education to unlock Nigeria’s human potential.

Delivering a keynote remark, Prof. Anthony Kila, Jean Monnet Professor of Strategy and Development at CIAPS, urged policymakers to evolve TETFund from an infrastructure-focused agency into a strategic engine for innovation, knowledge creation and national competitiveness. He noted that while Nigeria’s tertiary system had suffered “heat, cracks and shocks,” it now stands at a pivotal moment for reform and reconstruction.

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