Reps move to include Inter-University Centres as TETFUND beneficiaries

During its plenary session on Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed, for a second reading, a bill seeking to include Inter-University Centres among the beneficiaries of the tax levied under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Act.

The move aims to enhance training and research activities across the nation.

The bill, entitled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act, No.16, 2011 to Provide for the Inclusion of Inter-University Centres among Beneficiaries of the Tax Imposed under the Act; and for Related Matters HB.1754,” was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Benjamin Okezie Kalu, alongside eight other legislators.

The Inter-University Centres proposed for inclusion include the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Abuja; the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, Abia State; the Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV), Badagry, Lagos State; and the National Arabic Language Village, Ngala, Borno State.

Leading the debate on the bill, co-sponsor Honourable Tolani Shagaya noted that while TETFUND, established by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act of 2011, has significantly contributed to the education sector by enhancing infrastructure, providing learning facilities, training academic staff, and promoting research, the Inter-University Centres have been conspicuously excluded from these benefits.

Shagaya emphasised that despite being established by Acts of the National Assembly to serve universities nationwide, these centres have not been incorporated into TETFUND’s funding framework. He characterised them as vital academic institutions that address key gaps in research, language, and specialised training within the higher education system.

According to Shagaya, the omission has left these centres “underfunded, under-equipped, and undervalued,” despite their pivotal roles in reinforcing the university system across the country.

The proposed amendment, he stated, is anchored on the principles of “equity, inclusion, and academic relevance.” He argued that passing the bill would significantly boost the quality of tertiary education in Nigeria. Shagaya highlighted that the centres, which provide critical services such as advanced research, nationwide language training, and academic collaboration, have been hindered in their development due to their exclusion from TETFUND.

Key changes proposed in the bill include amending Section 4 of the Principal Act to formally acknowledge Inter-University Centres, modifying Section 7 to introduce a new fund-sharing ratio of 2:1:1:1 for these centres (subject to stakeholder evaluation during the Committee Stage), and revising Section 20 to precisely define “Inter-University Centres.”

Shagaya described the initiative as a practical and inclusive measure to ensure that no essential academic institution is neglected in the nation’s tertiary education advancement.

Following the debate, the Deputy Speaker, Rt Honourable Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, called for a voice vote on the bill. It passed unopposed and was subsequently referred to the Committee on TETFUND for further legislative scrutiny.