The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board of Trustees Chairman Aminu Bello Masari said the fund committed ₦10 billion in 2026 to skills centers at polytechnics. He described the spending as intended to strengthen practical instruction, encourage entrepreneurship and improve employment prospects for graduates. Voice of Nigeria, THISDAY and BusinessDay reported his remarks at a town hall in Abuja.
TETFund’s published 2026 intervention plan lists ₦1,871,059,920.53 for each public polytechnic. The notice does not say whether the skills-center amount would be added to that allocation or drawn from it.
TETFund directs Education Tax revenue to public tertiary institutions. A 2025 address from the fund says its Institution-Based Skills Development program for Polytechnics began in 2024. BusinessDay reported that support includes equipment and consumable supplies, as well as preparation for staff who assess program quality.
BusinessDay reported that polytechnic students and graduates are among the programme’s intended beneficiaries. BusinessDay also reported that host-community artisans could receive structured training and recognized certification through links with nearby polytechnics.
TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny S.T. Echono said in a 2024 address that skills development could help address youth unemployment. He also discussed bringing informal apprenticeships into a formal certification system through Nigeria’s National Skills Qualification Framework.
In a separate scheme, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation said 12 universities were selected for engineering and technology upgrades, with ₦4 billion allocated to each. The ministry’s March announcement described work on laboratory facilities, equipment and workshops. The combined funding is ₦48 billion, calculated from the per-university amount.
Masari also said TETFund approved about ₦6.09 billion for 174 successful proposals under its 2025 National Research Fund cycle, according to THISDAY and BusinessDay. He urged institutions to maintain funded facilities and demonstrate measurable results, the reports said.
