Abuja: The Federal Government has approved N4 billion each for 12 selected engineering and technology universities to rehabilitate workshops and procure modern equipment. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Implementation Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Special High-Impact Intervention Projects in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the intervention targets the rehabilitation of Engineering and Technology faculties in Federal Universities of Technology (FUTs) and conventional universities nationwide. The beneficiary institutions include FUT Minna, FUT Akure, FUT Babura, FUT Ikot-Abasi, FUT Owerri, Nigerian Army University, Biu, and Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State. Other beneficiaries are African Aviation and Aerospace University, Abuja, Shehu Shagari University of Education, Sokoto, Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, Enugu State, University of Ilesha, Osun, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State.
Alausa stated that the funds would either upgrade existing facilities or support the construction of new engineering workshops where necessary. He explained that the initiative, implemented through TETFund, was designed to strengthen practical training and bridge the gap between theory and industry requirements. The intervention aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritizes skills development and economic diversification.
The High-Impact Intervention Project is a strategic initiative aimed at upgrading laboratories, workshops, and research facilities, positioning institutions as hubs of innovation and practical problem solving. However, Alausa emphasized that funding alone does not guarantee results, and success depends on effective implementation, strict adherence to standards, transparency, and accountability.
Alausa added that the special intervention would provide modern workshops, advanced laboratories, and industry-relevant equipment to improve graduate employability. He noted that an additional N20 billion had been provided in the 2026 TETFund guidelines to upgrade engineering facilities in other selected institutions. The minister tasked the committee with submitting periodic reports and recommending sanctions for non-compliant institutions to the ministry and TETFund.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the reforms aimed at transforming Nigeria’s education landscape. Echono described the ceremony as one of several initiatives endorsed by the President to reposition tertiary institutions and strengthen teaching and learning infrastructure.
Speaking on behalf of the committee members, Ali Rabiu, President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and chairman of the committee, pledged commitment to the successful implementation of the project. Rabiu said the assignment was a distinct honor and expressed appreciation for the confidence placed in the committee members and their respective organizations. He affirmed the committee’s responsibility and commitment to contributing meaningfully to the success of the initiative.