The Federal Government has directed all tertiary institutions to fully utilise unaccessed and unspent education intervention funds within 30 days, warning that the era of idle allocations “is over.”

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, issued the directive during a strategic meeting with Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Bursars, and Procurement Officers in Abuja.

He described the failure to use allocated funds as a “setback to national progress,” stressing that institutions must submit reconciled reports of unutilised funds within the stipulated timeframe.

“This meeting is not for blame games but to move forward collectively,” the Minister said, adding, “Resources that could have been used to transform our classrooms, laboratories, and libraries have remained idle for years due to bureaucratic bottlenecks. That must change now.”

The Minister warned that any unspent funds would be redirected to priority projects, adding that “carrying them over without strong justification will no longer be allowed.”

Expressing concern over large sums of money lying dormant in the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Alausa stated that “such negligence denies students access to improved learning facilities and limits institutional growth.”

To ensure accountability, the Ministry will launch a public transparency dashboard to display TETFund disbursement and utilisation data. “Every TETFund naira represents public trust,” he said. “We owe it to Nigerians to ensure these resources are spent efficiently and visibly.”

Reaffirming government’s stance, Permanent Secretary Abel Enitan, represented by Hajiya Rakiya G. Iliyasu, described the issue of unutilised funds as national emergency requiring collective responsibility.

“The continued non-utilisation of funds undermines the quality of education and hinders national development.

“Institutions must remove administrative bottlenecks and deliver tangible outcomes within defined timelines.” She said.

Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Ministry reiterated its resolve to ensure that every education naira delivers tangible impact—through improved infrastructure, enhanced learning environments, and sustainable development across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. (Weekend Trust)