The Federal Government has directed all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to submit detailed reports of unutilised intervention funds received from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) within the next 30 days.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, issued the directive in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with heads of tertiary institutions. He expressed concern over the growing number of unutilised allocations, describing the situation as a major setback to the development of infrastructure and educational standards in the country.
Alausa noted that several institutions have failed to effectively deploy TETFund resources, leaving vital projects stagnant due to administrative bottlenecks. “Institutions must submit reconciled reports of all unutilised funds within 30 days for joint verification. Unused funds may be redirected to priority projects, and carrying them over without strong justification will no longer be permitted,” he stated.
He added that procurement processes must align with approved intervention plans and that approvals should be expedited to avoid unnecessary delays.
To ensure accountability and better project execution, Alausa announced the introduction of capacity-building programs aimed at improving project management, compliance, and reporting. Quarterly reviews will be conducted to monitor progress, while institutions that fail to utilise funds effectively will face sanctions.
The minister further revealed plans for a public transparency dashboard where data on TETFund disbursement and utilisation will be published. Institutions will also be required to provide periodic project progress reports to enhance accountability.
“TETFund must lead with professionalism and ensure strict compliance. Institutional heads should drive urgency and accountability, while bursars, procurement officers, and project coordinators must handle planning and reporting with diligence,” Alausa said.
He stressed that all stakeholders, including auditors and oversight bodies must maintain transparency, as “every TETFund naira represents public trust.”
The directive follows TETFund’s repeated warnings over the accumulation of unspent allocations by several institutions. In July 2025, the agency had threatened to delist non-compliant institutions and reallocate their funds to those that actively utilise their disbursements.
TETFund’s 2025 allocation of ₦1.6 trillion to tertiary institutions was primarily targeted at enhancing campus security, supporting direct institutional interventions, and improving healthcare infrastructure.
