On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the House of Representatives passed a bill for a second reading to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act, which would include Inter-University Centres as beneficiaries.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act, No.16, 2011, to Include Inter-University Centres as Beneficiaries of the Tax Imposed Under the Act and for Related Matters (HB.1754),” was sponsored by Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and eight other lawmakers.
If enacted, the amendment would allow centres such as the National Mathematical Centre (NMC) in Abuja, the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN) in Aba, the Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV) in Badagry, and the National Arabic Language Village in Ngala to access TETFund resources.
Although established by the Acts of the National Assembly to serve all universities, these institutions have been excluded from TETFund support due to their classification as being outside conventional universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
During the debate, co-sponsor Hon. Tolani Shagaya pointed out that these centres play a vital role in Nigeria’s higher education by providing specialised training, facilitating research, and promoting academic collaboration across institutions.
He noted that their exclusion from TETFund has left them underfunded and unable to fulfil their mandates effectively.
The proposed amendments include updating Section 4 of the principal Act to list Inter-University Centres among eligible beneficiaries, adjusting Section 7 to establish a new allocation ratio of 2:1:1:1, and revising Section 20 to clearly define “Inter-University Centres”.
Following the debate, the bill was passed through a voice vote and referred to the TETFund Committee for further legislative action.
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