The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has issued a stern warning to beneficiary institutions that fail to properly utilize funds allocated for intervention projects, stating that such institutions risk being delisted from the list of beneficiaries.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, gave the warning in Abuja at a two-day strategic workshop for Directors of Physical Planning, Academic Planning, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) from TETFund-supported institutions.
Echono stated that the workshop underscores the Fund’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s tertiary education system by addressing procedural gaps and ensuring a better understanding of TETFund’s intervention guidelines.
He emphasized that the Fund will not overlook non-compliance or underperformance.
“Let me reiterate: institutions that fail to access, utilize, or retire funds in accordance with Fund guidelines, or that underperform in key academic or operational benchmarks, may face delisting as TETFund beneficiaries,” Echono said.
“This policy is not punitive, but a mechanism to safeguard the integrity and effectiveness of our interventions.”
He explained that the primary aim of the workshop was to build the capacity of key personnel involved in planning, implementation, and monitoring of TETFund-supported projects.
“Our aim is to ensure that every institution represented here is well equipped to align more effectively with the Fund’s operational procedures for greater efficiency, accountability, and developmental impact.
This engagement is more than a routine meeting—it is a strategic convergence designed to address recurring implementation bottlenecks, improve compliance, and enhance institutional performance.
It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the gains from TETFund interventions are not only sustained but amplified through timely and judicious utilization of resources.”
Echono also outlined key strategic priorities for the Fund in 2025 and beyond. On the TETFund scholarship for Academic staff (TSAS),Echono confirmed the suspension of its foreign training component starting January 1, 2025.
“Regarding the Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) intervention, the Fund has suspended the foreign training component of TSAS effective January 1, 2025.
This difficult decision was driven by the rising costs of overseas training and cases of scholar abscondment. However, we remain fully committed to building local academic capacity. We will continue supporting rigorous local postgraduate programmes and professional development initiatives that deliver value at a sustainable cost.”
The TETFund ES further reaffirmed TETFund’s continued prioritization of research and innovation, highlighting an increase in funding allocations.
“Research and innovation remain central to our mandate. For 2025, we have scaled up funding to the National Research Fund(NRF), the Research and Innovation Fund and the Triple Helix Model for the research industry collaboration.
These initiatives are aimed at generating practical solutions to national challenges, especially in technology, agriculture, and healthcare, while also promoting commercialization and cross-institutional partnerships.”
The workshop, which is being held across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, featured paper presentations, interactive sessions, and collaborative discussions.