Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a pivotal policy shift by suspending its foreign scholarship programme starting January 1, 2025. This decision comes in response to rising costs, foreign exchange pressures, and recurring incidents of scholars abandoning their studies abroad. The fund aims to redirect its resources to strengthen local academic institutions and promote domestic capacity building.
TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono communicated the decision to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education through an official memo. The directive outlined the challenges that necessitated the suspension, including operational inefficiencies and financial mismanagement, such as scholars being left vulnerable to currency fluctuations due to improper handling of funds by institutions.
The suspension will not affect scholars currently enrolled in foreign programmes, who will be allowed to complete their studies under the current arrangements. Moving forward, the fund plans to focus on domestic academic training and development. Between June 2023 and July 2024, TETFund disbursed NGN10.8 billion ($6.5 million), the majority of which supported local scholarships, signalling a gradual pivot toward this new approach.
To compensate for the reduced reliance on foreign institutions, TETFund is collaborating with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to implement Transnational Education (TNE) Guidelines. This initiative will enable partnerships between Nigerian universities and prestigious institutions in the UK, US, and Malaysia, ensuring that high-quality, globally competitive education is delivered locally. The TNE framework aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for enhancing Nigeria’s higher education system.
While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has backed the policy, viewing it as a step toward strengthening local institutions, critics have expressed concerns about its potential to limit Nigerian scholars’ exposure to international research ecosystems.
By prioritizing local capacity building and fostering international collaborations through the TNE initiative, TETFund seeks to establish a more sustainable model for academic excellence while addressing Nigeria’s economic and educational challenges.
Article by RB Reporter
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