The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a major funding boost for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, with each university set to receive ₦2.525 billion under the 2026 intervention cycle.
Polytechnics will receive ₦1.871 billion each, while Colleges of Education are to get ₦2.056 billion apiece.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, made the disclosure on Tuesday at the 2026 Stakeholders’ Workshop held in Abuja, where allocation letters for the year’s interventions were formally presented to heads of beneficiary institutions.
Echono explained that the allocations represent about 90.75 per cent of available funds, comprising 50 per cent for annual direct disbursements and 43.75 per cent for special direct disbursements.
According to him, all universities—irrespective of age, size, or student enrolment—will receive exactly ₦2,525,932,228.02, while polytechnics and Colleges of Education will receive ₦1,871,059,920.53 and ₦2,056,527,973.04 respectively.
“These funds are meant to strengthen critical physical infrastructure, enhance academic programmes, boost research and innovation, and drive overall transformation in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector,” Echono said.
He also announced the introduction of a new intervention line under the 2026 annual direct intervention—the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN). The initiative is designed to improve access to global academic resources and integrate the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform into NgREN.
“With these investments, 2026 promises to be a year of growth, innovation, and measurable impact,” he added.
Echono noted that TETFund will continue to prioritise the upgrading of research and development offices, laboratories, and workshops, while also strengthening student exposure programmes through partnerships with the private sector and completing long-abandoned projects.
He said research and innovation would remain central to the Fund’s agenda, with sustained support for the National Research Fund, the Research Meets Industry initiative, and the commercialisation of research outcomes. ICT development, he added, would also receive significant attention.
The TETFund boss further disclosed that several research laboratories are currently under development, with four expected to be completed this year and two more slated for completion next year. In the agricultural sector, he said large university farms are being converted into modern greenhouses and equipped with advanced tools to boost productivity.
Echono stressed the need for accountability, urging heads of institutions to ensure effective utilisation of their 2025 allocations.
“We are conducting assessments of how institutions use their resources, which will inform discretionary budget allocations. Performance will guide additional allocations,” he said.