President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned a series of projects funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) across four tertiary institutions as part of activities marking the third anniversary of his administration.
The projects, located in federal and state-owned institutions across the North-Central, North-West and North-East geopolitical zones, are aimed at enhancing teaching, learning, research and skills development.
Speaking during the commissioning, President Tinubu said tertiary institutions remain central to his administration’s strategy for bridging the nation’s skills gap and improving learning outcomes across the education sector.
“When you build a classroom, you build a generation. The investment we are making in our colleges of education, polytechnics and universities today will determine the quality of every Nigerian schoolchild for decades to come,” he said.
The President also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the Nigerian Armed Forces through sustained investment in training, equipment and educational infrastructure.
“Our Armed Forces deserve the best in training, in equipment and in the institutions that shape their character. The Nigerian Defence Academy stands at the heart of that mission, and we will continue to invest in its future,” he stated.
Describing polytechnics as the engine room of Nigeria’s technical workforce, Tinubu pledged continued support for their classrooms, laboratories and personnel.
“The skills our economy needs will not come from lecture theatres alone. They will come from hands trained in real workshops,” he said.
Among the projects commissioned was the newly constructed School of Science Complex at Nasarawa State College of Education, Akwanga.
The two-storey facility comprises conventional reading areas; dedicated staff and student e-libraries; the chief librarian’s office; secretarial offices; and reference and enquiry sections. The complex is expected to strengthen the college’s capacity to train science teachers for basic and post-basic schools across Nasarawa State.
At the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Afaka Campus, Kaduna, the President commissioned the remodelled Senate Building and the newly constructed Biodiversity and Conservation Centre.
The Senate Building features a 60-seat Senate Council Chamber, twin conference suites, executive offices, lift facilities, CCTV and access-control systems, a public address and evacuation system, integrated fire-suppression facilities, and a solar-powered backup system with lithium battery storage.
The Biodiversity and Conservation Centre is designed to enhance the academy’s environmental science research capacity by providing facilities for academic study, biodiversity documentation and applied conservation research.
In Jigawa State, President Tinubu inaugurated a newly constructed Classroom Complex at Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure. The project was delivered under the TETFund 2024 Special High Impact Intervention Programme.
The facility addresses the longstanding shortage of classroom space at the institution and is expected to provide a more conducive environment for academic activities, improve teaching and learning, and enhance the overall educational experience for students and staff.
At Sa’adu Zungur University, Gadau Campus, Bauchi State, the President commissioned a newly constructed students’ hostel delivered under the TETFund 2024 Annual Intervention Programme.
Built at a cost of N738.96 million over a 48-week period, the hostel has been completed and is ready for occupation. The facility is expected to improve student welfare, ease accommodation challenges on the Gadau Campus and support the university’s growing enrolment.
President Tinubu commended the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the leadership of TETFund for sustaining interventions across federal and state-owned tertiary institutions.
He also praised the contractors, consultants and managements of the beneficiary institutions for delivering the projects on schedule.
The President urged staff and students of the institutions to make effective use of the facilities and ensure their proper maintenance to maximise their long-term benefits.
