The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has temporarily suspended its foreign training programmes, citing high exchange rates, increased costs, and the growing issue of scholars fleeing while abroad.
Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Bello Masari, announced the decision on Wednesday, explaining that the fund is now focusing on more impactful initiatives within Nigeria:
“Due to high foreign exchange rates and the rising cost of overseas training as well as the unfortunate trend of some scholars absconding TETFund has had to temporarily suspend foreign training programs.”
He added that the resources will be redirected to domestic special interventions designed to yield tangible benefits:
“Instead, we are channeling resources into impactful special interventions, which we believe will yield significant dividends in the near future.”
Masari made the remarks during the commissioning of five major projects at the Ikot Akpaden and Obio Akpa campuses of Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU). He revealed that AKSU has received over ₦14 billion from TETFund since 2010.
“Since 2010, Akwa Ibom State University has consistently benefited from TETFund’s interventions. From 2010 to 2025, the University has received a total allocation of 14,476,013,835.31 (Fourteen billion, Four hundred and Seventy six million, Thirteen thousand, Eight Hundred and thirty five Naira, thirty one kobo only) specifically for infrastructure-related projects under the Annual, Special, Zonal, and Special High-Impact intervention lines.”
Of this amount, ₦2.67 billion is still outstanding as several ongoing projects are yet to be completed. Masari described the university’s use of the funds as commendable:
“This is a remarkable achievement. With sustained judicious use of these funds, I am confident that the University will continue to position itself as a beacon of academic excellence and research, not only within this region but globally.”
The five newly inaugurated projects have a total cost of over ₦7.3 billion:
“The projects we are here to commission today are five (5) in number, with a total cost of N7,306,029,318.52 (Seven Billion, Three hundred and Six million, Twenty nine thousand and Three hundred and Eighteen Naira, Fifty two kobo only).”
Vice Chancellor of AKSU, Prof. Nse Essien, highlighted that the new facilities include buildings for the Faculties of Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, Management Sciences, and Agriculture.
These structures house 189 offices, 51 classrooms, 40 laboratories, and 237 restrooms.
He thanked TETFund for its support and emphasized the transformative impact on education and research:
“They would enable more advanced research and laboratory work, prepare scientists and public health experts to tackle regional and worldwide issues as well as promote innovation, hands-on learning, and the advancement of STEM education among others.”
However, he also called attention to urgent needs: “Permit me to respectfully draw your attention to the fact that, despite having structural completion, the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the Faculty of Agriculture are still unfurnished.
We humbly request that the TETFund and other development partners take into account furnishing these amenities in order to facilitate complete academic operations and functionality.
We also request further TETFund interventions in other areas like ICJ development, digital libraries, postgraduate research infrastructure, and student hostels in both campuses of the University.”
In his remarks, Senator Udoma Udoma, the immediate past Pro-Chancellor of AKSU, praised TETFund for initiating and executing the projects under his tenure.
He also urged the university’s current management to maintain the newly built infrastructure properly.
