The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on Nigerian students to strongly oppose the federal government’s plan to abolish the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), warning that the move could cripple public universities and favor private institutions, many of which are allegedly owned by political figures.
In a press statement, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, the Owerri Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, expressed deep concerns over the provision in the proposed Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which aims to end TETFund’s funding by 2030 and transfer its responsibilities to the newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Aribodor emphasized the importance of TETFund in supporting the country’s public tertiary institutions for over a decade, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, postgraduate training, and research capacity building.
The union leader highlighted that the proposed tax bill specifies a gradual reduction in 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 shutting down the agency that has long been the backbone of public education funding.
Describing this provision as “dangerous” and “unpatriotic,” Aribodor criticized the proposal for disregarding the pressing need to strengthen public education in Nigeria.
He recalled the economic challenges faced by universities in the 1980s, which led to the establishment of the Education Tax Fund (ETF) — the precursor to TETFund — through ASUU’s advocacy efforts.
The fund has since become an integral part of Nigeria’s public universities, financing essential projects across the sector.
Aribodor warned that the proposed replacement of TETFund with NELFUND would severely undermine Nigeria’s public education system, potentially reversing the progress made in improving infrastructure, research, and staff development within universities.
He further criticized the move as a “technical way of killing the agency,” arguing that it would have devastating long-term consequences for the future of tertiary education in Nigeria.
“Replacing TETFund with NELFUND is like killing a parent to keep a newborn alive. This is both unethical and against the principles of justice,” he stated, stressing that such a drastic move would set back the development of Nigerian universities by decades.
The ASUU leader also pointed out that TETFund has been instrumental in reducing industrial crises and fostering a better working environment for academic staff by supporting infrastructure and staff development.
He urged the Nigerian government to focus on improving the operations and sustainability of TETFund rather than dismantling it.
ASUU called on students and the wider public to unite in rejecting the proposal and ensure that TETFund continues to serve its critical role in supporting Nigeria’s public tertiary education institutions.
