The Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, has announced the disbursement of N2.525 billion to each university in its 2026 intervention cycle, while polytechnics will receive N1.871 billion each and college of education N2.056 billion each.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a Stakeholders’ Workshop with heads of beneficiary institutions, where allocation letters for the 2026 intervention were formally distributed.
Echono said the total direct disbursement represents about 90.75 per cent of available funds, comprising 50 per cent annual direct disbursements and 43.75 per cent special direct disbursements.
According to him, under the annual direct intervention, 271 beneficiary institutions will receive uniform allocations irrespective of age, size or enrolment.
He said each university will receive a total of N2,525,932,228.02, polytechnics N1,871,059,920.53, and Colleges of Education N2,056,527,973.04.
“These funds are designed to strengthen critical physical infrastructure, enhance academic programmes, boost research and innovation, and drive holistic transformation across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector,” Echono said.
He added that the 2026 intervention introduces a new funding line, the Nigerian Research and Education Network, NgREN, aimed at improving access to global academic resources and integrating the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services, TERAS, platform into NgREN.
“This initiative will significantly enhance research quality and impact. With these investments, 2026 promises to be a year of growth, innovation and measurable outcomes for our institutions,” he said.
Echono noted that TETFund will continue upgrading research and development offices, laboratories and workshops, while expanding student exposure programmes through private-sector partnerships and direct construction projects.
He said interventions in security infrastructure, completion of abandoned projects, and improvements in design and technical collaboration would also be sustained.
Speaking on research and innovation, he said it remains central to the Fund’s mandate, with continued support for the National Research Fund, the Research Meets Industry initiative, and the commercialisation of research outputs.
