The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has issued a stern warning to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education over alleged misuse of intervention funds, threatening to delist non-compliant institutions from future funding.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, made this known during a capacity-building programme for bursars of public tertiary institutions in Abuja. He stressed that institutions found guilty of misappropriation, delays, or failure to retire project funds in line with approved guidelines will face severe sanctions, including possible removal from the TETFund intervention list.
“There will be no sacred cows,” Echono stated. “Any institution found guilty of abuse, delay, or misapplication of TETFund resources will be blacklisted.”
Concerns Over Accountability and Project Management
TETFund, established to provide essential support for infrastructure, research, and staff development in Nigeria’s tertiary sector, has in recent years raised concerns about the slow pace and poor quality of some funded projects. These, the agency says, are directly tied to financial mismanagement and lack of transparency by some beneficiary institutions.
Echono highlighted that while many institutions have made good use of the interventions, others continue to violate key principles of project execution and reporting.
Strict Monitoring Mechanisms Now in Place
To address the issue, TETFund has enhanced its monitoring and evaluation frameworks, including introducing digital project tracking systems, stricter timelines for completion, and mandatory financial accountability sessions for institutional bursars.
The agency also announced that funding disbursements will now be performance-based, meaning institutions with questionable records may see reductions or outright suspension of funding.
Bursars Placed on Alert
The Executive Secretary specifically charged bursars to understand that they are not only financial managers but key gatekeepers of institutional credibility.
“You are the ones who ensure that interventions achieve their purpose. Any failure on your part affects not just your school but the reputation of the entire education sector,” Echono said.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Education Sector
Institutions must adopt transparent procurement and project delivery practices Timely retirement of funds is now mandatory Monitoring teams will conduct more frequent site visits Delisted institutions may lose access to millions in federal support
TETFund’s bold stance reflects growing pressure on Nigeria’s educational institutions to deliver value, accountability, and measurable impact from public funding. As the watchdog tightens the belt, tertiary institutions have been placed on notice: misuse it, and lose it.
All Times Global Magazine will continue to follow developments and publish updates on any institutions affected by this directive.
