NUJ partners TETFUND on improved educational development, seek more funding for sector

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahya, has called for a strategic partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to support education in Nigeria.

He made the call on Monday when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono in Abuja.

He commended the Agency for its role in revitalising tertiary institutions across Nigeria, pledging deeper collaboration to strengthen public awareness of education sector interventions.

The president said “the union had consistently monitored the agency’s activities and was satisfied with the execution of projects in institutions nationwide”

“This visit is aimed at strengthening institutional partnership and exploring ways both organizations could work together to advance national development through improved education outcomes and informed public engagement” he added

The NUJ president appreciated the Executive Secretary of TETFund for what he described as commendable performance in the implementation of intervention programmes across the country.

He said “the union’s leadership considered it necessary to engage directly with the Agency to enhance visibility for its activities and ensure Nigerians are better informed about ongoing developments in tertiary education”

According to him, “the NUJ is proposing a joint inspection tour of selected tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones to assess projects executed and showcase their impact”.

He explained that the proposed tour would involve visits to selected states in each zone, allowing journalists to independently observe interventions and communicate their significance to the public.

He noted that the union had previously passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of the Agency and had also advocated increased federal funding for TETFund, stressing that timely release of funds remains essential to sustaining intervention programmes across institutions.

Yahya said the proposed collaboration would also include joint public sensitisation on ongoing projects, adding that broader public awareness would help Nigerians appreciate the scale of work being carried out in tertiary institutions.

He further appealed support for the International Institute of Journalism, an NUJ-owned training institution dedicated to strengthening professional standards and improving the quality of journalism practice in Nigeria.

The NUJ president also proposed periodic engagement between the union and TETFund through structured quarterly briefings.

“the platform would enable journalists to provide feedback from field observations and contribute constructive input that could support the Fund’s operations.”

He additionally sought TETFund’s support for the NUJ’s planned 2026 Media Summit in Abuja, which he said would bring together academia, policymakers and other stakeholders to deliberate on issues of education funding and national security as they relate to the development of the education sector.

Yahya expressed optimism that stronger collaboration between the media and TETFund would improve public understanding of education interventions and contribute to national progress.

In his response, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, said Nigeria’s tertiary education system requires sustained investment, public trust and stronger institutional support to overcome infrastructure and research gaps.

He stressed that the Agency was established to halt the decline in academic standards and restore confidence in the nation’s universities and other higher institutions.

He explained that the intervention agency emerged from widespread concern over what stakeholders at the time regarded as a serious deterioration in academic quality across the tertiary education system.

According to him, “the creation of the Fund was intended as a targeted response to reverse declining standards, strengthen institutional capacity and incentivise growth in the education sector, particularly at a period when many skilled personnel were leaving and infrastructure deficits had become severe”

He said “although considerable progress has been made through sustained government support and structured intervention programmes, major challenges persist across institutions”

He identified deficiencies in physical infrastructure, research facilities and the general conditions under which teaching, learning and research take place as areas that continue to require significant investment.

He noted that addressing these gaps demands long term commitment and consistent funding.

The Executive Secretary said the Fund has undertaken extensive intervention projects across institutions nationwide.

“evidence of ongoing work can be seen in multiple institutions where facilities have been constructed, upgraded or rehabilitated to improve academic delivery”

He stressed that communicating these interventions to the public remains essential to building confidence in the system.

According to him, demonstrating what has been achieved with available resources will help sustain trust and strengthen national support for continued investment in tertiary education.

On collaboration with the media, he said the Fund engages the media through coverage of project commissioning activities and academic publications produced to support institutional development.

Echno stressed support for the NUJ IIJ by ensuring staff will be sponsored to enroll in the institution and expressed readiness to develop broader collaboration with the union that reflects national visibility

Echono pointed to electricity expenses as a major challenge, explaining that in many cases institutional allocations are insufficient to cover utility bills for extended periods.

He said the severity of these constraints has compelled the Fund to intervene in essential infrastructure beyond academic facilities, including support for power supply systems, access roads and water provision, describing such measures as necessary to sustain institutional operations.

Amid these efforts, he expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for continued federal backing of the education sector, noting that sustained government support has strengthened the Fund’s capacity to implement critical interventions and stabilise institutions facing structural challenges.

“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 thanked the visiting delegation for the engagement and reiterated the Fund’s commitment to supporting institutions in addressing structural challenges, improving academic standards and sustaining progress in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.