The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to disburse ₦6.452 billion to beneficiary tertiary institutions under its 2026 intervention cycle.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ workshop with heads of beneficiary institutions, where the 2026 disbursement guidelines were formally unveiled.

According to Echono, the intervention will see each university receive ₦2.525 billion, while polytechnics will get ₦1.871 billion each, and colleges of education ₦2.056 billion respectively. Allocation letters were also issued to the beneficiary institutions at the event.

He explained that the total direct disbursement represents about 90.75 percent of the fund, comprising 50 percent annual direct disbursements and 43.75 percent special direct disbursements.

Under the annual direct disbursement structure, 271 institutions are expected to benefit, with all universities—regardless of age, size, or enrolment—receiving ₦2,525,932,228.02 each. Polytechnics will receive ₦1,871,059,920.53, while colleges of education will get ₦2,056,527,973.04 each.

Echono said the funds are aimed at strengthening critical infrastructure, improving academic programmes, enhancing research and innovation, and driving overall transformation across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

He added that the 2026 intervention would also focus on improving access to global academic resources, with plans to integrate the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform into the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) from 2026.

“With these investments, 2026 promises to be a year of growth, innovation, and measurable impact,” Echono stated.

The TETFund boss further disclosed that the Fund would continue upgrading research and development offices, laboratories, workshops, and ICT infrastructure, while also sustaining interventions in campus security, completion of abandoned projects, and strengthening industry-academic collaboration.

He revealed that several research laboratories are currently under development, with four expected to be completed and commissioned this year, while two additional labs are scheduled for completion next year.

In the agricultural sector, Echono said university farms are being transitioned to modern greenhouse systems to boost productivity and reduce labour intensity.

He urged heads of institutions to ensure full utilisation of their 2025 allocations, warning that future funding would be based on performance, enrolment, and demonstrated progress.

“Institutions with unutilised funds will not receive additional allocations until existing resources are fully deployed,” he said, adding that contractor payments would be processed promptly, with payments made within two weeks of milestone completion to avoid project delays.