Abuja: The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced that President Bola Tinubu has sanctioned N250 billion for the construction of student hostels in tertiary institutions nationwide. This announcement was made during the inauguration of governing boards, principal officers, and chief executives of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this initiative marks the first significant investment dedicated to tackling the acute accommodation shortages in Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The fund will target the construction of hostels in at least 50 tertiary institutions, with each institution expected to receive about N2 billion to create at least 500 bed spaces. Additionally, N90 billion will be allocated through Public-Private Partnership arrangements to provide hostels in 24 federal institutions with a capacity of 1,200 to 1,500 bed spaces each.
Dr. Alausa explained that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) will contribute N1 billion as counterpart funding per institution, while private investors will invest approximately N4 billion each. He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, praising his leadership as crucial for driving educational reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda. The minister highlighted that the administration’s focus on education reforms is evident in the ministry receiving the highest budgetary allocation in the country for two consecutive years.
The hostel initiative addresses long-standing accommodation deficits in institutions such as Lagos State University and Yaba College of Technology. The government is prioritizing reforms that emphasize implementation and measurable outcomes. Dr. Alausa urged the newly inaugurated board members to ensure accountability, strengthen oversight, and enhance institutional performance across agencies.
Further investments include N130 billion for engineering and technology workshops and N120 billion for upgrading medical schools nationwide. Prof. Babatunde Salako, Chairman of the NBTE Governing Board, committed to transparency and aligning education with Nigeria’s economic needs.
The list of inaugurated members includes Prof. Babatunde Salako, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, and David Shofoyeke, among others, who will serve in various capacities across different educational boards and councils.