The Federal Ministry of Education has announced the rollout of the upgraded Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and its integration with the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform to enhance digital connectivity, research collaboration, and innovation in Nigeria’s tertiary education system. The announcement was made at an event in Abuja by the Honourable Minister of Education, Chief Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa FAMedS, CON, who described the NgREN–TERAS integration as a major milestone in the Ministry’s effort to modernize learning and research through technology, data, and institutional collaboration.
Dr. Alausa explained that the renewed NgREN will function as a high-speed national education network linking universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and research institutions on a shared platform supporting e-learning, cloud computing, and research services. He said the network represents a vital part of the Ministry’s vision for a technology-driven education system that promotes collaboration, data sharing, and access to advanced learning tools. According to him, “This initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for a knowledge-based economy built on innovation, transparency, and digital inclusion.”
The Minister further stated that the integration of NgREN with the TERAS platform would create a unified digital ecosystem that connects institutions to research resources, online learning platforms, plagiarism detection systems, high-performance computing, and institutional analytics. He commended the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for their leadership in driving this reform, emphasizing that the collaboration would make digital infrastructure the backbone of Nigeria’s tertiary education system and ensure cost-effective access to high-quality educational services.
Dr. Alausa added that the upgraded network, supported by the World Bank through the SPESSE and ACE Impact projects, includes modern facilities such as cloud data centers, e-libraries, and campus-wide Wi-Fi services. He assured that the Ministry remains committed to sustaining these initiatives through partnerships, innovation, and continuous investment in digital learning environments to make Nigeria’s tertiary education system globally competitive.
In his presentation, Dr. Joshua Attah of the National Universities Commission (NUC) provided an overview of the evolution of the Nigerian Research and Education Network and its integration with the TERAS platform. He explained that the NgREN is not merely an Internet Service Provider but a collaborative platform connecting universities and research institutions to enable shared digital services and global linkages. Dr. Attah noted that the ongoing review, directed by the Honourable Minister, focuses on expanding connectivity, improving reliability, and creating a sustainable governance framework that supports e-learning, data analytics, and research-driven innovation.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Joseph Odo of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) presented the TETFund–TERAS convergence services, which aim to expand access to research, digital learning, and institutional resources for staff and students across tertiary institutions. He outlined several digital services provided through the TERAS platform, including a federated academic repository, EagleScan plagiarism checker, online learning platforms, digital literacy programs, and access to academic journals and databases.
Mr. Odo explained that the integration with NgREN will improve bandwidth, connectivity, and access to digital tools through a unified gateway. He further announced that the pilot phase of the integration would begin in 2025 with selected universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education drawn from all geopolitical zones.
The launch of the NgREN–TERAS integration marks a significant step in Nigeria’s digital education transformation. With this initiative, the Federal Ministry of Education is setting a new benchmark for digital access, collaboration, and innovation across the tertiary education landscape, building a foundation for research excellence, national development, and global competitiveness.
