The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has released over ₦100 billion to selected tertiary institutions in Nigeria to expand medical sciences training and address the country’s growing shortage of healthcare professionals.
TETFund Governing Board Chairman, Aminu Masari, announced the development on Saturday in Katsina, explaining that the intervention is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to curb brain drain in the health sector.
“The President is deeply concerned about the impact of brain drain on our healthcare system and wants deliberate policies to restore its capacity. This medical sciences intervention is one of such measures,” Masari said.
Under the plan, three tertiary institutions in each geopolitical zone will each receive ₦4 billion for projects aimed at expanding their capacity to admit and train more doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and other health professionals.
Masari described the initiative as TETFund’s high-impact intervention for 2025, with the goal of doubling the number of skilled healthcare workers in the country. He added that a monitoring team of consultants would ensure funds are spent as intended.
The former Katsina governor revealed that TETFund’s 2025 allocation stands at ₦1.6 trillion — its highest ever — generated from the 3% education tax on company profits.
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Of this, ₦460 billion is earmarked for various interventions across tertiary institutions, with three institutions in each state — a university, a polytechnic, and a college of education — benefiting from state-level support.
Other allocations include:
₦225 billion to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund for the Federal Government’s student loan programme.
₦70 billion for energy projects in tertiary institutions, including solar and gas power facilities.
₦25 billion for campus security measures, such as installing street lights.
Masari stressed that interventions are demand-driven, with institutions applying for support based on their specific needs and available resources.