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The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced its 2025 intervention disbursement, allocating N2.8 billion to each university, while polytechnics and colleges of education will receive N1.9 billion and N2.1 billion, respectively.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono, disclosed the details during a strategic workshop with heads of beneficiary institutions on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Echono, each university will receive N2,560,562,352.66 under the normal allocation and an additional N300 million as a zonal allocation, bringing the total to N2,860,562,352.66.

Polytechnics will get N1,794,335,731.71 in normal allocation and N200 million in zonal allocation, totaling N1,994,335,731.71, while colleges of education will receive N1,978,428,260.79 plus N200 million, amounting to N2,178,428,260.79.

Echono urged beneficiaries to fully utilize their 2024 and previous allocations while fast-tracking the procurement process to access the 2025 disbursement.

He stated that this year’s physical infrastructure funding will focus on upgrading and rehabilitating dilapidated facilities across institutions.

“This was communicated earlier to enable you to consult widely and prepare your projects ahead of time,” Echono stated. “We have also significantly increased allocations for research, innovation, academic staff training, and book development.”

Echono outlined the structure of the 2025 disbursement:

91.08% of the fund is designated for direct disbursement, with 48.90% as annual direct disbursement and 42.18% as special direct disbursement.

8.72% will be allocated to designated projects.

0.20% is reserved for the stabilization fund.

He also added that under the special direct disbursement category, TETFund will prioritize:

The Special High Impact Programme (SHIP) to enhance facilities in select institutions.

Completion of the National Library building in Abuja.

Establishment of mechanized farms in some universities.

Provision of student hostels through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and direct construction.

Expansion of infrastructure for medical education, including programs for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.

Adoption of medical simulation technologies to improve training and patient care.

Provision of alternative energy sources to ease rising energy costs in institutions.

Increased focus on campus security and disaster recovery.

Boosting Research and Innovation

Echono revealed that TETFund would continue to invest heavily in research and innovation through:

Sustaining the National Research Fund.

Supporting the Triple Helix initiative to foster collaboration between academia, industry, and government.

Expanding R&D commercialization to translate research outcomes into practical solutions.

Additionally, there will be increased funding for laboratory and agricultural development. This includes the establishment of two new central multipurpose research laboratories and three new agricultural laboratories/demonstration farms across key regions.

According to him, several new initiatives will debut in 2025, including:

A Diaspora Outreach/Exchange Program.

A Staff Support Fund for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

Provision of electric tricycles for campus transportation.

Student Startup/Innovation Grants to foster entrepreneurship.

Establishment of 12 new Entrepreneurship for Innovation Hubs in polytechnics and colleges of education.

TETFund is also advancing its TERAS platform to digitize learning processes and align institutions with global educational standards.

“As part of our commitment to reducing reliance on government funding, we encourage institutions to seek partnerships with the private sector, especially for student hostels and facility management,” Echono added.

The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including representatives from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and other educational bodies.