TETFund Threatens Action Against Underperforming Beneficiary Institutions
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) on Wednesday issued a strong warning to institutions that benefit from its interventions but fail to appropriately utilise the allocated funds for projects, stating that such institutions risk being removed from the list of beneficiaries.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, gave this warning in Abuja during a two-day strategic workshop for directors of physical planning, academic planning, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) from institutions receiving support from the Fund.
Echono said that the workshop demonstrates the Fund’s dedication to strengthening the nation’s tertiary education system by addressing existing gaps in processes and procedures, especially through a clearer understanding of its intervention guidelines.
He stressed that TETFund would not remain passive while certain institutions fail to meet expectations.
He said, “Let me reiterate: institutions that fail to access, utilise or retire funds in accordance with Fund guidelines or that underperform in key academic or operational benchmarks may face delisting as TETFund beneficiaries.”
“This policy is not punitive but rather a mechanism to safeguard the integrity and effectiveness of our interventions,” he said.
Echono explained that the primary goal of the gathering was to build the capacity of key staff responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring TETFund-supported projects.
He said, “We aim to ensure that every institution represented here is well equipped to align more effectively with the Fund’s operational procedures for greater efficiency, accountability, and developmental impact.”
“This engagement is more than a routine meeting: it is a strategic convergence designed to address recurring implementation bottlenecks, improve compliance, and enhance institutional performance.”
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the gains from TETFund interventions are not only sustained but amplified through timely and judicious utilisation of resources,” he added.
Echono also outlined the strategic priorities that would guide the Fund’s operations in 2025 and beyond.
Regarding the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS), he stated that the Fund had earlier suspended the foreign training component, effective from January 1, 2025.
He said, “First, regarding the Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) intervention, as you are all aware, the Fund has suspended the foreign training component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS), effective January 1, 2025.”
“This decision, though difficult, was necessitated by the rising costs of overseas training and incidences of scholar abscondment. However, our commitment to building local academic capacity remains strong. We will continue to support rigorous local postgraduate programmes and professional development initiatives that deliver value at a sustainable cost,” Echono said.
He also reiterated the Fund’s emphasis on research and innovation, pointing to an increase in funding for several initiatives.
He said, “Secondly, research and innovation remain central to our mandate. For 2025, we have scaled up funding to the National Research Fund (NRF), the Research and Innovation Fund, and the Triple Helix Model for research-industry collaboration.”
“These initiatives are expected to generate practical solutions to national problems, particularly in technology, agriculture and healthcare, while fostering commercialisation and cross-institutional partnerships,” Echono stated.
The workshop, which was also held across the six geopolitical zones of the country, featured paper presentations, question-and-answer sessions, among other activities.
