Ogona Anita
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed strong opposition to the Nigerian government’s plan to abolish the Tertiary Education Trust Fund TETFund) warning that the move could have disastrous effects on public universities. ASUU, in a recent statement, urged Nigerian students and the public to resist the proposal, highlighting its potential to cripple public tertiary institutions and favor private universities, many of which are allegedly owned by influential political figures.
At the center of ASUU’s concern is the provision in the proposed Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which seeks to phase out TETFund’s funding by 2030 and transfer its responsibilities to the newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). According to Prof. Dennis Aribodor, the Owerri Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, this shift would dismantle the key funding structure that has supported public universities for over a decade.
TETFund has played a pivotal role in enhancing the infrastructure, research capacity, and postgraduate training of Nigerian public universities. The fund, established in the late 1990s, has been instrumental in the development of academic facilities, improved teaching standards, and the overall growth of the nation’s public higher education sector.
However, the proposed Nigeria Tax Bill outlines a gradual reduction of TETFund’s share of the development levy, with the fund receiving only 50% of the levy in 2025 and 2026. By 2030, TETFund’s allocation would drop to zero, effectively eliminating its ability to support public universities.
Prof. Aribodor described this provision as both “dangerous” and “unpatriotic,” arguing that the government’s approach fails to address the real challenges facing public education in Nigeria. He reminded the government that TETFund’s predecessor, the Education Tax Fund (ETF), was established in response to the economic difficulties faced by universities in the 1980s, largely due to inadequate funding.
The ASUU leader also emphasized the severe consequences of replacing TETFund with NELFUND, warning that it would lead to a collapse in the progress made by Nigerian universities. He criticized the proposal as “a technical way of killing the agency” and likened it to “killing a parent to keep a newborn alive.” In his view, such a drastic step would set back Nigeria’s public universities by decades, undoing the significant gains made in infrastructure development, research, and staff training.
TETFund, according to Aribodor, has not only funded critical academic projects but has also been instrumental in reducing industrial crises within universities. By investing in staff development and improving infrastructure, the fund has contributed to a more stable and productive academic environment. Without it, Nigeria’s universities could face an even greater crisis in terms of infrastructure, academic standards, and workforce morale.
ASUU called on students, faculty, and the wider Nigerian public to join forces in opposing the bill, urging the government to focus on strengthening TETFund rather than dismantling it. The union emphasized that public education must remain a priority for national development and that any decision threatening the funding of public universities is a grave disservice to the future of Nigeria.
In conclusion, ASUU’s call to action is clear: reject the proposed abolition of TETFund and safeguard the future of Nigerian public universities. If the federal government proceeds with this plan, it risks undermining the very foundation of Nigeria’s higher education system and compromising the country’s long-term academic and research capacity. The union believes that a stronger and more sustainable TETFund is essential for the continued growth and development of Nigeria’s public universities.
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