The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has raised alarm over the federal government’s proposal to phase out the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), a move the union argues could cripple public education in Nigeria.
During a press conference at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Sokoto, the Chairman of ASUU Sokoto Zone, Professor Abubakar Sabo, emphasized the vital role TETFund has played in transforming Nigeria’s tertiary education sector over the past three decades. He warned that shifting the fund’s responsibility to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) would devastate public universities.
“The only source of funding is from TETFund. If you destroy it, you have destroyed public universities,” Sabo stated, accusing elements within the ruling class of attempting to undermine public institutions and perpetuate inequality.
Sabo criticized the tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming that key stakeholders in the education sector were not consulted before the bills were sent to the National Assembly. He noted that the failure to involve the academic community, including Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors, in the decision-making process was undemocratic and counterproductive.
“TETFund is a product of ASUU. You cannot make changes to tax laws without engaging with ASUU, especially when this initiative has significantly improved Nigerian universities,” Sabo added. He further suggested that if the government wanted to fund NELFUND, it should explore alternative funding sources, such as Value Added Tax (VAT), instead of siphoning resources from TETFund.
Sabo outlined that TETFund, which is funded through consolidated revenue from company income tax, has led to the construction of critical infrastructure in Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education. He argued that 90% of the physical structures in these institutions are a direct result of TETFund investments.
Criticizing the government’s plan to phase out TETFund by 2030 and merge it with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Sabo warned that this could severely hinder the development of Nigeria’s educational system.
He pointed out that in many countries, including Ghana, the government funds education through VAT-based funds like the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), which has been successful since its introduction in 2021. “Ghana’s GETFUND is a model, and they are using VAT. Nigeria should adopt such models rather than dismantle what has already worked,” he said.
Sabo also criticized NELFUND’s structure, arguing that it should operate as a grant system, not a loan program, especially in a country where universities are already raising tuition fees. He expressed concern that this would burden the children of poor Nigerians with loans, further entrenching inequality.
The ASUU chairman reminded the government that TETFund was established as a result of hard-fought efforts by Nigerian lecturers, some of whom, like Mahmood Tukur, paid with their lives for the cause. He urged the government not to destroy the fund, as it would irreparably damage Nigeria’s education system.
“We are not fighting for ASUU alone; this is about the future of Nigeria. Education is the backbone of national development, and the government must prioritize it,” Sabo concluded, calling for a higher education budget allocation to match the global minimum of 15% for education funding.
