The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced its 2026 intervention cycle, with a total allocation of N6.452 billion to tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The disclosure was made during a stakeholders’ workshop in Abuja, bringing together heads of beneficiary institutions.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said the intervention is designed to strengthen physical infrastructure, enhance academic programmes, boost research and innovation, and drive transformation in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. According to him, the total direct disbursement represents about 90.75 per cent of the funds.
Echono explained that the allocation structure includes 50 per cent yearly direct disbursements and 43.75 per cent special direct disbursements. Under the yearly direct disbursement component, 271 beneficiary institutions will receive allocations. Universities are to receive N2.525 trillion each, polytechnics N1.871 billion each, while colleges of education will receive N2.056 trillion each.
He said the funds are targeted at improving the quality and impact of research, integrating the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform into NgREN, and expanding access to global academic resources.
“The intervention is meant to promote knowledge sharing, support skills development initiatives, and ensure prompt payment to contractors,” Echono said.
He added that the programme includes plans to equip and upgrade research and development offices, laboratories, and workshops, while strengthening student exposure programmes through private sector partnerships. Sustained interventions in security infrastructure and training remain a priority.
Highlighting research and innovation, Echono said TETFund will continue to support the National Research Fund, the Research Meets Industry initiative, and the commercialisation of research outcomes. He urged heads of institutions to fully utilise their 2025 allocations, stressing that future disbursements would be based on performance, enrolment, and progress.
“Institutions with unutilised funds will not receive additional allocations until existing resources are fully deployed,” he said. Echono also announced plans to develop laboratories, transition university farms to greenhouses, and strengthen the ICT roadmap through expanded digital services and education research and application services.
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