FG Directs Tertiary Institutions to Publish Financial, Student Data by May 31

The federal government has instructed all federal tertiary institutions to make essential institutional information, such as budgetary figures, student enrollment numbers, and funding sources, publicly available on their official websites by May 31, 2025.

This new directive, which is to be implemented immediately, was issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, as a move to foster openness and accountability in Nigeria’s higher education sector.

According to the ministry, each institution is expected to fully disclose its Annual Budgetary Allocation, with a detailed breakdown into “personnel cost, overhead costs, and capital expenditure.”

“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has issued a comprehensive directive mandating all federal vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts to publish key institutional data on their official websites with immediate effect. Aligning Nigeria’s higher education management with global best practices.

“Each institution must provide its Annual Budgetary Allocation in full detail, including the breakdown of expenditure across three core areas: personnel cost, overhead costs, and capital expenditure,” they stated.

Institutions are further required to release their previous year’s research grant revenue, classified into two categories:

“…grants obtained from domestic bodies such as local industries, government agencies, or foundations; and those received from international sources, including foreign institutions, multilateral organizations, and development partners,” they said.

Each institution must also publish the current year’s TETFund allocation, clearly indicating the total funds received and how those funds are being utilized to enhance academic programs and infrastructure.

The policy also requires that federal tertiary institutions regularly update their websites with the current Endowment Fund value, as recorded at the end of the previous year.”

“Further mandates that institutions publish the total value of their endowment fund as recorded at the end of the previous year. This figure, which reflects funds donated or invested for the institution’s long-term financial health,” they stated.

The ministry added that this information “must be updated quarterly to ensure currency and transparency.”

They must also provide details of their total student population, separated into undergraduate and postgraduate categories.

The ministry stressed that all information disclosed must be shared “presented in a clear, accessible, and user-friendly format for public visibility.”

“Websites should be structured in a way that allows the public, including parents, students, and stakeholders, to easily locate and understand these data points,” the ministry stated.

To ensure adherence, the ministry announced plans to regularly monitor institutional websites and take disciplinary actions when needed.

“The Federal Ministry of Education will conduct periodic reviews of institutional websites and take appropriate administrative actions against non-compliant institutions.

“This review will be used to gauge compliance and drive policy decisions that promote transparency,” it said.

The ministry clarified that this directive is part of a wider reform initiative designed to rebuild public confidence in the country’s higher education institutions, improve funding based on institutional performance, and raise Nigeria’s ranking on global education performance indicators.