The federal government has entered into a partnership with the Nigerian Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) to strengthen advancement offices in federal tertiary institutions, as part of broader efforts to diversify university funding sources and enhance the quality of education.
Speaking at the launch of the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP) in Lagos, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the collaboration is designed to equip federal and state universities with the skills, capacity, and global best practices needed to mobilise funds beyond government subventions.
He noted that public funding is increasingly insufficient to meet the expanding demands of tertiary education, stressing that the initiative prioritises the development of functional advancement offices within universities. According to him, this will enable institutions to engage alumni, attract philanthropic support, and effectively manage endowment funds in a sustainable manner.
Alausa explained that the programme would provide universities with practical tools and technical support, including guidance on establishing boards of trustees, investment teams, governance frameworks, and reporting systems to ensure transparency and accountability in endowment management.
He added that although many universities already operate advancement offices, most have yet to fully harness their potential. The new initiative, he said, is aimed at helping institutions rapidly adopt effective fundraising models to complement government allocations, TETFund support, and other funding sources.
Earlier, the Chairman of NHEF, Mr. Wale Adeosun, described sustainable financing as critical to repositioning Nigerian universities for global competitiveness. He said the programme seeks to strengthen institutional advancement structures, enabling universities to attract private-sector support, alumni donations, and philanthropic funding alongside government resources.
Adeosun explained that NHEF was established over two decades ago through partnerships with global foundations such as MacArthur, Rockefeller, Ford, and Packard, with a focus on supporting higher education development in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. He recalled that the initiative initially involved four Nigerian universities before expanding to include others, such as the University of Nigeria and the University of Lagos.
According to him, NHEF now works with a growing network of universities nationwide, concentrating on governance reforms, faculty development, student success, and institutional advancement. He added that the foundation’s activities are anchored on three pillars: strengthening university administration and governance, enhancing faculty capacity through exchange programmes with U.S. institutions, and supporting students through leadership and scholarship initiatives.
Also speaking, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Mr. Samaila Zubairu, expressed the organisation’s readiness to support endowment fundraising and the establishment of data centres in selected Nigerian universities to sustain quality education and prepare students for a digital future.
Zubairu said the proposed data centres would support teaching, research, and innovation, while positioning institutions to respond to the growing impact of artificial intelligence and the digital economy. He noted that AFC plans to support the federal government’s initiative to advance 10 Nigerian universities, beginning with two pilot institutions, through comprehensive fundraising campaigns focused on alumni engagement and long-term endowment development.
He emphasised that the goal is to create structured programmes that actively encourage alumni to give back to their universities through targeted endowments that support institutional growth and sustainability.
