TETFund Threatens to Cut Off Funding to Below-Standard Universities

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) threatened to delist recipient institutions on Wednesday if they did not appropriately use cash authorized for intervention programs.

The warning was delivered in Abuja during a two-day strategic training for directors of academic planning, physical planning, and information and communication technology (ICT) from institutions that get funding from the TETFund. The event was led by Arc. Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of the Fund.

Echono stated that the workshop demonstrates the Fund’s dedication to strengthening the nation’s postsecondary education system by filling in the gaps in its policies and procedures, especially by improving comprehension of its intervention guidelines.

He emphasized that the TET Fund would not tolerate poor performance from some institutions.

“Let me restate that institutions that do not apply for, use, or retire funds in compliance with Fund guidelines, or that perform poorly in important operational or academic benchmarks, may be delisted as TETFund beneficiaries.”

He stated that the purpose of this policy is to protect the efficacy and integrity of our interventions, not to punish them.

“Building the capacity of key personnel responsible for planning, implementation, and monitoring of TETFund-supported projects was the gathering’s primary goal,” Echono added.

“Our goal is to make sure that each of the institutions represented here is prepared to better align with the Fund’s operational procedures for increased accountability, efficiency, and development impact.

“This engagement is not just a regular meeting; it is a strategic convergence intended to improve compliance, address persistent implementation bottlenecks, and boost institutional performance.”

Through prompt and prudent use of resources, he continued, “it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the gains from TETFund interventions are not only sustained but amplified.”

The Fund’s strategic initiatives that will determine its course in 2025 and beyond were also underlined by Echono.

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Regarding the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS), he stated that the foreign training component of the program had been suspended by the TETFund with effect from January 1, 2025.

Since January 1, 2025, the Fund has halted the overseas training component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) in relation to the Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) intervention, as you are all aware.

Even though it was a tough choice, the growing expenses of training abroad and the prevalence of student absconding made it necessary. Still, we are steadfast in our resolve to increase academic capability locally. In order to provide value at a reasonable cost, we will keep supporting professional development initiatives and demanding local postgraduate programs, Echono stated.

He also mentioned a rise in funding for a number of projects and reiterated the Fund’s emphasis on research and innovation.

Second, our mission still heavily relies on innovation and research. Our financing for the Triple Helix Model for research-industry partnership, the National Research Fund (NRF), and the Research and Innovation Fund has been increased for 2025.

“These initiatives are anticipated to foster commercialization and cross-institutional partnerships while producing workable solutions to national problems, particularly in technology, agriculture, and healthcare,” Echono said.

Along with other activities, the workshop featured presentations of papers and Q&A sessions in each of the nation’s six geopolitical zones.