The Federal Government has sanctioned the release of over ₦6 billion as intervention funding to 271 tertiary institutions across the country in 2026.
The approval, channelled through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), covers universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide.
Speaking at the annual disbursement meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, TETFund Executive Secretary, Sunny Echono, disclosed that each university will receive ₦2,525,932,228.02, while polytechnics are to get ₦1,871,059,920.53 each, and colleges of education will receive ₦2,056,527,973.04 each.
He explained that the disbursement structure comprises 90.75 per cent for direct allocations — broken down into 50 per cent annual direct disbursement and 40.75 per cent special direct disbursement — while designated projects account for 9.07 per cent and stabilisation funds make up 0.18 per cent.
President Bola Tinubu presents the 2026 budget proposal before a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2025. Credit: X/@DOlusegun
Echono, however, expressed concern over delays by some beneficiary institutions in processing projects for approval in principle and completing due process requirements.
He urged heads of institutions to commence procurement planning early to prevent such setbacks.
“Also worrisome is the slow and reluctant utilisation of the TERAS platform with all its associated services by some beneficiary institutions. The Fund will be paying closer attention to this in the year 2026.
“The Fund also expects better documentation and knowledge of its guidelines for its training and content intervention lines. This should mitigate the challenges and problems experienced by scholars across beneficiary institutions,” he said.
He added that TETFund will continue interventions in security infrastructure and training, completion of abandoned projects, and reinforcement of disaster recovery systems.
According to him, research and innovation will remain a central focus, with sustained support for the National Research Fund, institutional research and development partnerships, the Research-Meets-Industry initiative, and the commercialisation of research outputs.
He further revealed that laboratory and agricultural development will receive significant attention in 2026.
“We are enhancing the ongoing multipurpose laboratory projects, setting up two new ones, and creating new agricultural laboratories and demonstration farms,” he said.
“Our ICT roadmap will be further strengthened with expanded digital services, ICT Experience Centers, subscription-based internet access, and the continued advancement of the Tertiary Education Research Application Services, TERAS.
“With these strategic interventions, 2026 promises to be a year of strengthened capacity, innovation, and measurable impact across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.”
Echono also commended the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for its role in Education Tax collection in 2025, noting that effective collaboration under the new tax regime will help TETFund achieve its mandate.
He urged beneficiary institutions to fully utilise their 2025 allocations as preparations begin for the 2026 intervention cycle.
The TETFund boss also announced the introduction of a new intervention line — the Nigerian Research and Education Network (Ng REN) — under the 2026 annual direct intervention.
He said the initiative is designed to improve access to global academic resources and integrate the TERAS platform into NgREN from 2026.
“With these investments, 2026 promises to be a year of growth, innovation, and measurable impact.
“We are also expanding the Special intervention projects to cover the establishment of the Centers for Robotics, Coding & AI Machine Learning, and Centre for Cybersecurity Studies in selected beneficiary institutions.
“An additional 12 beneficiary institutions shall benefit from the commercial farm project. These will be two universities, eight polytechnics, and two colleges of education.
“The Fund has sustained its equipping & upgrade of R&D offices in beneficiary institutions and shall continue the development of student hostel project through Public–Private Partnerships,” Echono said.