Here’s a paraphrased version of the statement:
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has warned that it may remove tertiary institutions from its list of beneficiaries if they fail to properly utilize the funds allocated for intervention projects.
Speaking in Abuja during a two-day strategic workshop for directors of physical planning, academic planning, and ICT from beneficiary institutions, TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, emphasized the importance of accountability and adherence to guidelines.
Echono said the workshop underscores TETFund’s efforts to strengthen the country’s tertiary education system by addressing procedural gaps and ensuring institutions better understand how to apply the Fund’s intervention rules.
He made it clear that the Fund will not tolerate underperformance or mismanagement.
“To be clear, institutions that do not access, utilize, or account for funds as required by TETFund, or that consistently underperform academically or operationally, risk being removed from the list of beneficiaries,” he warned. “This is not a punishment but a measure to protect the purpose and integrity of our interventions.”
He said the workshop aimed to equip relevant officials with the skills needed to plan, implement, and monitor TETFund-supported projects effectively.
“Our goal is to ensure all represented institutions are better aligned with our procedures, leading to greater efficiency, transparency, and developmental results,” he explained.
He described the event as a targeted effort to resolve persistent implementation issues, boost compliance, and improve the overall impact of TETFund support.
Echono stressed the shared responsibility to ensure that the benefits of TETFund’s projects are fully realized through timely and effective use of resources.
He also shared insights into TETFund’s strategic focus for 2025 and beyond.
Regarding the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS), Echono noted that the foreign training component will be suspended starting January 1, 2025, due to increasing international training costs and cases of scholars failing to return.
“Though we’ve had to halt foreign training, our commitment to building local academic capacity remains strong. We’ll continue to invest in quality local postgraduate training and professional development at a sustainable cost,” he said.
He also reaffirmed TETFund’s strong focus on research and innovation, announcing increased support for initiatives like the National Research Fund (NRF), the Research and Innovation Fund, and the Triple Helix Model, which promotes collaboration between academia, industry, and government.
“These programmes are intended to deliver practical, innovative solutions to national challenges in sectors like technology, agriculture, and health, while encouraging commercialization and inter-institutional collaboration,” Echono added.
The workshop was held across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and featured presentations and interactive sessions.