August 10, 2025 – The Tertiary Education Trust Fund has announced a record allocation of N1.6 trillion for interventions across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, the highest in its history. The fund, generated from the 3% education tax on company profits under the TETFund Act, will be used to meet urgent needs in education, healthcare training, energy infrastructure, and student support.
This was disclosed by Aminu Bello Masari, Chairman of TETFund’s Governing Board and former Governor of Katsina State, during a media briefing in Katsina on Sunday. Masari provided a detailed breakdown of how the funds are being allocated, stressing the importance of transparency and impact.
“The interventions are demand-driven. Institutions write to us, and we approve projects for them based on their needs and available resources,” Masari said.
From the total sum, N460 billion, representing 40% of the allocation, has been designated for direct interventions in tertiary institutions nationwide. In each state, one university, one polytechnic, and one college of education have been selected to benefit from these funds.
A further N225 billion has been disbursed to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to support the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, aimed at expanding higher education access for financially disadvantaged students.
To tackle energy challenges, N70 billion has been allocated for solar and gas-powered generation facilities in campuses, reducing dependence on unstable grid electricity and improving learning environments.
N25 billion has also been set aside to boost campus security through street lighting and other safety infrastructure.
Addressing Nigeria’s shortage of skilled healthcare professionals, TETFund has committed over N100 billion to strengthen medical sciences training. This move follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to curb the migration of medical personnel and rebuild capacity in the healthcare sector.
“The President is worried about this trend and its impact on the healthcare system,” Masari said. “He wants measures in place to enable recovery through deliberate policies, such as this ongoing TETFund intervention.”
As part of this healthcare initiative, three institutions in each geopolitical zone have received N4 billion each to expand facilities and programmes in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, laboratory science, and other critical areas. The aim is to double Nigeria’s healthcare workforce and improve service delivery.
Masari emphasised that accountability remains a priority, with TETFund employing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework supported by independent consultants.
He noted that interventions are implemented annually at both state and zonal levels to ensure equitable distribution and significant results across the country. “This will greatly improve healthcare delivery nationwide,” Masari stated.
