By: Jack Acheme, Abuja
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commissioned a Faculty of Social Sciences Lecture Theatre and Office Complex at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) to aid teaching and learning.
The Chairman of TETFund’s Board of Trustees, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, commissioned the project worth about N717.3m at the University campus in Keffi.
The new facility comprises 22 en-suite offices, four 200-seater lecture theatres, and 12 public conveniences.
Masari said the project was executed under the 2020/2021 merged annual intervention and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Masari praised Nasarawa State University for its record of transparency and efficiency in implementing TETFund projects, saying that it was the third time TETFund was visiting the University for commissioning within two to three years.
“It shows the institution’s resolve to ensure funds are judiciously used with verifiable results.
“We are optimistic that this facility will aid teaching and learning in a comfortable environment, having been furnished and adequately equipped for that purpose,” he said.
According to him, TETFund has recorded about 71 per cent completion of infrastructure-based projects across its beneficiary institutions between January and September 2025.
Masari also disclosed that since NSUK became a TETFund beneficiary in 2003, it has received over N12.7 billion for infrastructure-related interventions, noting that about 80 per cent of these funds have been accessed, and the evidence of utilisation is visible all over this campus.
He urged the university to ensure proper maintenance of the building, while reaffirming TETFund’s commitment to supporting innovation, ICT advancement, and sustainable power supply in tertiary institutions.
He also explained that the Fund had temporarily stepped down foreign training for lecturers due to high exchange rates and issues of abscondment, but was focusing more on impactful local interventions. “We are optimistic that these special interventions will yield appreciable dividends soon,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, represented by the Fund’s Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Babatunde Olajide, said the project symbolised the Fund’s determination to strengthen Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
“This event stands as a testament to our shared commitment to advancing tertiary education in Nigeria. We commend the university for its prudent utilisation of funds and timely completion of projects.”
He noted that TETFund remains aware of challenges caused by inflation and exchange rate volatility, which have affected project delivery timelines. Olajide also urged universities to prioritise maintenance.
“As we commission this facility today, let us reaffirm our collective resolve to protect and maintain it to avoid deterioration. Together, we can ensure this investment yields dividends for generations to come.”
“In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Prof. Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, acknowledged TETFund’s role in the university’s progress.
“These interventions have improved access to education and enhanced working conditions for our staff. It will promote teaching, enhance research, and create a truly conducive environment for our students,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor further revealed that NSUK had recently been ranked the Number One University in Nigeria for Quality Education by the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings under Sustainable Development Goal 4, thanking TETFund for being a worthy partner in this remarkable achievement.
Prof. Liman assured TETFund of NSUK’s continued transparency in managing intervention projects, appealing for additional structures for Faculties, Lecture Theatres, and Solar Power.
The Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, represented at the event by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. John Mamman, commended TETFund for its sustained support to tertiary education.
He assured that the state will continue to give maximum support to the education sector.
Olusola Akintonde