Why Nigeria’s Universities Struggle to Spend TETFund Allocations

While students in public universities sit in overcrowded lecture halls and lecturers complain about outdated laboratories, billions of naira meant to fix these problems remain untouched in government accounts. This paradox, of underfunded yet underutilised education funding, continues to expose deep cracks in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

 The TETFund Paradox

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) was created by the government to boost infrastructure, research, and training across public tertiary institutions. Over the years, however, universities and polytechnics have consistently complained of inadequate funding, yet large chunks of their TETFund allocations go unspent.

Recent reports reveal that more than ₦600 billion in TETFund allocations is currently trapped in the Central Bank of Nigeria, unutilised by beneficiary institutions. The Federal Government, clearly frustrated, has now given universities and polytechnics 30 days to submit reports on all unspent funds, or risk losing them.

“Unused allocations may be redirected to priority projects, and rollovers without strong justification will no longer be allowed,” said Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during a recent meeting with heads of tertiary institutions.

Bureaucracy and Bottlenecks

Behind these idle billions lies a familiar Nigerian problem — bureaucracy. Accessing TETFund money involves a lot of paperwork, approvals, and other bureaucratic processes, which many schools are not yet used to. Moreover, even after funds are released, many schools struggle with procurement delays, poor planning, and slow implementation of projects.

A senior administrator at a federal university in the southwest, who preferred anonymity, said: “By the time we complete all the required documentation and go through procurement approvals, the academic year is over. Sometimes, prices of materials have gone up, and we have to start the process again.”

 Weak Capacity, Poor Management

Another significant issue is weak institutional capacity. Many universities lack trained project managers or skilled procurement officers who can properly plan and execute TETFund projects. As a result, approved projects drag on for years, with funds sitting idle in accounts.

TETFund has repeatedly lamented that institutions fail to comply with its strict guidelines for fund utilisation. Poor reporting systems and a lack of accountability further worsen the situation, creating a cycle where allocations are released but not fully used before new ones arrive.

 When Rules Replace Results

In some cases, inefficiency is rewarded rather than punished. Until recently, TETFund allocated funds equally across institutions, even to some newly established polytechnics with fewer than 500 students. The government has now said schools with fewer than 2,000 students will no longer be eligible for support.

 The Way Forward

Experts say Nigeria must tackle both sides of the problem — release funds faster, but also strengthen the capacity of institutions to manage them responsibly. Transparency, project tracking, and capacity-building are crucial if the country hopes to see real value from TETFund. Until then, universities will continue to lament poor funding — even as billions meant to rebuild them gather dust in the vaults of the Central Bank.