The 2025 TETFund Board of Trustees National Town hall Meeting may have come and gone but its impact will resonate among stakeholders for a long time to come.

The event was neither a ceremonial gathering nor a talk shop; it represented a turning point in Nigeria’s higher education discourse. It served as an open platform where policy makers, scholars, administrators and industry players collectively examined the state of tertiary education financing and charted new pathways for reform.

From the outset, the gathering was framed by the TETFund leadership as an exercise in accountability, transparency and inclusive engagement. It was the first time in its 32-year existence the Fund convened such a wide spectrum of voices under one roof, creating a forum where achievements were celebrated, shortcomings acknowledged and future priorities debated with candour and purpose.

Beyond its immediate discussions, the meeting signified a new era of inclusivity and transparency in how the Fund relates with its beneficiaries and the wider public. It offered an opportunity for beneficiary institutions and other stakeholders to raise critical concerns about project execution, fund utilization and research priorities, while giving TETFund leadership a chance to clarify ongoing reforms and unveil new policy directions.

The event was graced by the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, represented by the Director General, Radio Nigeria, Dr. Mohammed Bulama; Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, Sen. Danduste Mohammed; Chairperson, House Committee on TETFund and other Service, Mariam Onuoha and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume.

Others are Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Professor Tanko Ishaya; presidential spokespersons, Bayo Onanuga and Sunday Dare; serving members of the National Assembly; immediate past president, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Prof. Smart Olugbeko; scholars and civil society organizations across the country.

The deliberations were not limited to technical or bureaucratic details; they touched on issues that strike at the heart of national development – the quality of graduates, the sustainability of academic research, the need to make tertiary education a genuine driver of innovation and productivity, removal of sunset clause from the national tax reform laws passed by the National Assembly.

Setting the ball rolling with his address of welcome, the Board Chairman, Aminu Bello Masari, described the town hall as a pivotal milestone in bridging the divide between TETFund and its stakeholders. He emphasized that the exercise was meant not only to showcase the Fund’s achievements but also to solicit feedback, deepen understanding of its mandate, and strengthen public confidence in how education tax resources are deployed.

He reiterated the Fund’s reform agenda, built on three foundational pillars: Transforming tertiary education into a driver of innovation and productivity, reinforcing accountability and impact measurement, and expanding the frontiers of research, technology, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

The BoT Chairman reiterated the Fund’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s tertiary education system through targeted investments in academic training, research, and infrastructure, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

Speaking on the Fund’s ongoing interventions, the elder statesman said its overriding goal remains ensuring that all its projects directly translate into tangible improvements in the quality of teaching, learning, and research across the country. He said under the Tinubu administration, the Fund has sponsored 3,332 Master’s degrees and 4,796 PhD candidates through the local component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS).

In addition to postgraduate sponsorships, TETFund has continued to support teaching practice, conference participation and research development initiatives aimed at building a highly skilled, globally exposed academic workforce.

According to him, this sustained investment in human capital is designed to nurture a new generation of innovators and thought leaders capable of transforming Nigeria’s economy and society through knowledge-driven solutions.

His words: “Another visionary achievement under the leadership of Mr. President is the creation of Innovation Hubs and Entrepreneurship Centres in 15 institutions nationwide. These centres established in institutions such as University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; University of Ibadan, Oyo State; Federal University Dutse; and Taraba State Polytechnic, Jalingo; serve as incubators for ideas, technology transfer, and business start-ups. Through these hubs, we are equipping Nigerian students with the skills, creativity, and resilience needed to thrive in a rapidly changing global economy.”

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Arc. Sunny Echono, commended President Tinubu for his unwavering support to the education sector and for approving strategic interventions that align with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He said the N70 billion mini-grid solar power project is a bold and forward-looking step towards addressing one of the most persistent challenges facing tertiary institutions in Nigeria — unreliable power supply.

Echono noted that the initiative would enhance research, digital learning, and innovation by ensuring stable electricity in beneficiary institutions, while also promoting environmental sustainability through renewable energy solutions.

Among voices from the academia and unions, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, immediate past President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), used the platform to issue a sharp rebuke to institutions that hoard TETFund allocations without execution.

He revealed that over N600 billion in intervention funds remain locked in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unused by beneficiary institutions. He insisted that when educational institutions do not deploy funds allocated for capital projects, it undermines the very purpose of the Fund, and urged the government to impose sanctions on culpable vice-chancellors and Governing Councils. (The Guardian)