TETFund to disburse N6.452bn to tertiary institutions
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund has revealed plans to allocate a total of N6.452 billion to higher education institutions throughout the nation as part of its 2026 intervention cycle.
Sonny Echono, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, made this announcement in Abuja on Tuesday during a workshop for stakeholders with the leaders of institutions set to benefit, where the guidelines for the 2026 disbursement were officially introduced.
Echono clarified that in the upcoming 2026 intervention cycle, each university will be granted N2.525 billion, while each polytechnic will receive N1.871 billion, and each college of education will get N2.056 billion.
He indicated that allocation letters for the 2026 intervention had already been forwarded to all the beneficiary institutions.
Echono noted that the total direct disbursement constitutes approximately 90.75 percent of the intervention funds, which includes 50 percent from annual direct disbursements and 43.75 percent from special direct disbursements.
He mentioned that 271 institutions would benefit from the annual direct disbursement component, with all universities, regardless of their age, size, or number of students enrolled, receiving ₦2,525,932,228.02 each.
He added that each polytechnic would be given ₦1,871,059,920.53, while colleges of education would receive ₦2,056,527,973.04 each.
Echono explained that the purpose of these funds is to enhance critical physical infrastructure, improve academic programs, promote research and innovation, and facilitate overall transformation within Nigeria’s higher education sector.
He further emphasized that this intervention also aims to elevate the quality and effectiveness of research outputs in the institutions receiving aid.
“This new intervention line seeks to expand access to global academic resources and to integrate the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform into NgREN starting with the 2026 intervention.
“With these investments, 2026 is expected to be a year filled with growth, innovation, and quantifiable impact,” Echono stated.
He indicated that the Fund will persist in equipping and upgrading research and development offices, as well as laboratories and workshops across the institutions.
“Programs to expose students will be enhanced through partnerships with the private sector and direct construction initiatives.
“We are maintaining interventions in security infrastructure and training, ensuring the completion of long-abandoned projects, and improving design-technical collaborations.
“Research and innovation continue to be priorities, supported by the National Research Fund, the Research Meets Industry initiative, and the commercialization of research results. Development in ICT is also a significant focus,” he stated.
Echono also shared that several research laboratories are now in development, highlighting the importance of continued attention in this sector.
“Four of them are set to be completed and inaugurated this year, and two additional ones have recently begun, with completion anticipated for the following year.
“In the agricultural sector, we are transforming large university farms into modern greenhouses and outfitting them with equipment to boost productivity and lessen labor intensity.
“Our ICT strategy will be reinforced through the expansion of digital services, experienced centers, substation-based internet access, and enhanced international education research and application services,” Echono further noted.
He urged the heads of higher education institutions to ensure they fully utilize their 2025 allocations, stressing that future funding will be based on their performance, enrollment figures, and demonstrated progress.
“Institutions with unspent funds will not receive new allocations until they fully deploy their current resources.
“We are encouraging knowledge sharing, backing initiatives that improve skills, and ensuring timely payments to contractors.
“Requests for fund releases will be swiftly processed, and contractors will receive payments within two weeks of milestone completion to prevent delays,” he added.
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