The Federal Government has given all tertiary institutions in Nigeria a 30-day deadline to account for unutilized funds disbursed through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Failure to comply may result in the 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.
Dr. Alausa stressed that institutions must submit reconciled reports for verification, and any funds left idle without valid justification may be reallocated to other priority initiatives. The move comes amid mounting concerns about the underutilization of TETFund resources. Recently, both the House of Representatives and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) raised alarms over the substantial amounts (₦500 billion and ₦600 billion, respectively) still sitting unused in the Central Bank.
With ₦1.6 trillion allocated in 2025 alone, the government is pressuring institutions to implement approved projects and justify continued funding. Former ASUU president Prof. Victor Osodeke echoed the call for accountability, criticizing 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.
