NUJ Seeks Increased TETFund Allocation, Urges Media Partnership to Bridge Tertiary Education Gaps

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By Fatima Saka

ABUJA – The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahya, has called for increased federal funding for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and a strategic partnership with the media to strengthen educational development across the country.

Yahya made the call on Monday during a courtesy visit by an NUJ delegation to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, in Abuja.

He commended the agency for revitalising tertiary institutions nationwide through intervention projects but stressed that sustained and timely funding remains critical to addressing persistent infrastructure and research gaps.

“The union has consistently monitored the agency’s activities and is satisfied with the execution of projects in institutions nationwide,” Yahya said. “This visit is aimed at strengthening institutional partnership and exploring ways both organisations can work together to advance national development through improved education outcomes and informed public engagement.”

The NUJ president proposed a joint inspection tour of selected tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones to independently assess executed projects and showcase their impact to Nigerians. According to him, such a tour would allow journalists to observe interventions firsthand and enhance transparency through comprehensive reporting.

He noted that the union had previously passed a vote of confidence in TETFund’s leadership and had advocated increased federal allocation to the Fund to ensure continuity of its intervention programmes.

Yahya also called for enhanced public sensitisation on TETFund projects, arguing that broader awareness would enable citizens to appreciate the scale and impact of ongoing investments in tertiary education.

In addition, he appealed for support for the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), an NUJ-owned training institution, and sought TETFund’s backing for the union’s planned 2026 Media Summit in Abuja, which will focus on education funding and national security as they relate to sectoral development.

Responding, Echono said Nigeria’s tertiary education system requires sustained investment, public trust and stronger institutional backing to overcome longstanding structural deficits.

He explained that TETFund was established to reverse the decline in academic standards and restore confidence in universities and other higher institutions, particularly at a time when infrastructure had deteriorated and skilled personnel were leaving the system.

“Although considerable progress has been made through sustained government support and structured intervention programmes, major challenges persist,” he said.

Echono identified infrastructure deficits, inadequate research facilities and poor learning conditions as key areas requiring long-term commitment and consistent funding. He also highlighted electricity costs as a major burden on institutions, noting that allocations are often insufficient to cover utility expenses for extended periods.

According to him, these challenges have compelled the Fund to intervene in essential infrastructure beyond lecture halls and laboratories, including power supply systems, access roads and water provision to sustain institutional operations.

He emphasised that effective communication of TETFund’s interventions is vital to building public confidence and sustaining national support for tertiary education financing.

Echono expressed readiness to deepen collaboration with the NUJ, including sponsoring staff to enrol at the IIJ and expanding media engagement to enhance national visibility of the Fund’s activities.

He also appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for continued federal backing of the education sector, noting that sustained government support has strengthened the Fund’s capacity to stabilise institutions facing structural challenges.

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“The sustainability of tertiary education depends not only on infrastructure development but also on broader policy support, stakeholder collaboration and consistent national commitment to education financing,” Echono said.

Both parties expressed optimism that a stronger partnership between the media and TETFund would improve public understanding of education interventions and contribute to national development.