Jumoke Olaitan
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says it has committed N10 billion in 2026 to developing skills acquisition centres in polytechnics nationwide.
Its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Aminu Masari, disclosed this on Thursday at the Fund’s 2026 National Board of Trustees Town Hall Meeting in Abuja.
The meeting, with the theme ‘Investing in Nigeria’s Future: Tertiary Education, Human Capital and National Development’, focused on strengthening the Fund’s interventions.
Masari said the investment complemented support for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centres and N48 billion approved for upgrading engineering and technology facilities in 12 universities.
He said the interventions aimed to strengthen practical skills, promote entrepreneurship and prepare students for employment and other economic opportunities.
Masari said TETFund had supported skills development in polytechnics over the past four years, selecting two institutions from each geopolitical zone annually.
The interventions covered establishing skills development centres, supplying training equipment and consumables, and training quality assurance assessors.
“Nearly 1,000 assessors have been trained, with further training underway,” he said.
According to Masari, the interventions were increasingly connecting polytechnics with host communities and informal-sector artisans.
He said the engagement offered artisans opportunities for structured training, quality assurance and recognised certification, potentially improving their skills and employment prospects.
The chairman also highlighted investments in research, disclosing that N6.09 billion had been approved for 174 successful proposals under the 2025 National Research Fund grant cycle.
He said the research grants would support efforts to address national challenges in science, technology, healthcare, agriculture and other critical sectors.
Masari further disclosed that TETFund was advancing plans to establish and equip six central multipurpose laboratories across the country’s geopolitical zones.
He added that presidential approval had been secured for six additional Centres of Excellence focusing on robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity.
“When established, these will bring the number of TETFund-supported Centres of Excellence to 36,” he said.
Masari said the Fund’s interventions also covered academic staff development, digital learning and renewable energy to improve teaching, research and learning conditions.
He, however, stressed that increased funding must be matched by accountability, effective management and measurable improvements in educational quality.
“The substantial increase in TETFund funding under President Tinubu places an equally substantial responsibility on the Fund and beneficiary institutions to deliver measurable improvements,” he said.
Masari said the investments must translate into quality projects, effective teaching, useful research and graduates equipped for productive lives.
He urged beneficiary institutions to manage and maintain facilities provided through the Fund’s interventions to ensure their long-term effectiveness.
The chairman also called on host communities to support institutional security, protect shared assets and contribute constructively to educational development.
He said the town hall meeting provided stakeholders with an opportunity to share experiences, raise concerns and recommend improvements to the Fund’s interventions.
“I encourage frank, constructive and practical contributions. The purpose is to improve our work and ensure that public investment produces lasting benefits for Nigerians,” he said.
Masari reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to investing in tertiary education to develop the skills and knowledge needed to support Nigeria’s future.
“Investing in Nigeria’s future means equipping our people to build it. That is our responsibility, and it is the standard by which our efforts must be judged,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
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