The Federal Government has given all tertiary institutions in Nigeria a 30-day deadline to account for unutilised funds disbursed through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), warning that failure to comply could result in loss of future allocations and possible sanctions.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the directive during a meeting with heads of institutions in Abuja, expressing concern over the significant backlog of unspent funds meant for infrastructure and development projects in the education sector.
He stressed that institutions must submit reconciled reports for verification, and any funds left idle without valid justification could be reallocated to other priority initiatives.
The move comes amid mounting concerns about underutilisation of TETFund resources. In recent months, both the House of Representatives and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) raised alarms over the staggering amounts ₦500 billion and ₦600 billion respectively still sitting unused in the Central Bank.
To address these inefficiencies, the government is rolling out reforms that include streamlined procurement processes, mandatory financial reporting, quarterly performance reviews, and increased transparency through public dashboards.
Alausa emphasised the importance of professionalism and accountability among institutional leaders, urging auditors and project managers to treat every TETFund naira as public trust.
With ₦1.6 trillion allocated in 2025 alone, the government says the pressure is on for institutions to implement approved projects and justify continued funding.
Former ASUU president Prof. Victor Osodeke echoed the call for accountability, criticising universities that have allowed funds to remain dormant for over a decade without delivering promised results.
The ultimatum signals a shift toward tighter oversight and performance-based funding in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
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