Abuja:The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a commitment of N10 billion in 2026 towards the development of skills acquisition centres in polytechnics across Nigeria. This was disclosed by Aminu Masari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, at the Fund’s 2026 National Board of Trustees Town Hall Meeting, which took place in Abuja. The meeting, themed ‘Investing in Nigeria’s Future Tertiary Education, Human Capital and National Development’, aimed to reinforce the Fund’s various interventions.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the investment is part of a broader effort to support Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centres and includes N48 billion allocated for enhancing engineering and technology facilities in 12 universities. Masari explained that these initiatives are intended to improve practical skills, encourage entrepreneurship, and prepare students for employment and other economic opportunities.
Over the past four years, TETFund has focused on advancing skills development in polytechnics by selecting two institutions from each geopolitical zone annually. These interventions include establishing skills development centres, supplying training equipment and consumables, and training nearly 1,000 quality assurance assessors, with ongoing further training.
Masari noted that these efforts are strengthening connections between polytechnics, host communities, and informal-sector artisans, offering structured training, quality assurance, and recognized certification that can enhance skills and employment prospects for artisans.
He also highlighted TETFund’s investment in research, with N6.09 billion approved for 174 proposals under the 2025 National Research Fund grant cycle. These research grants aim to tackle national challenges in sectors such as science, technology, healthcare, and agriculture.
Furthermore, plans are underway to establish and equip six central multipurpose laboratories across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, with presidential approval for six additional Centres of Excellence focusing on areas such as robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
Masari emphasized the importance of accountability, effective management, and measurable improvements in educational quality, given the substantial increase in TETFund funding under President Tinubu. He urged beneficiary institutions to ensure quality projects, effective teaching, and research, and to equip graduates for productive lives.
He called on host communities to support institutional security, protect shared assets, and contribute constructively to educational development. The town hall meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, raise concerns, and recommend improvements to the Fund’s interventions.
Masari reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to investing in tertiary education to equip Nigerians with the skills and knowledge necessary for the nation’s future development.