TETFund: Boosting Homegrown Knowledge In Varsities Through Strategic Textbook Investments

The shortage of high-quality, locally authored academic textbooks tailored to the country’s realities has been a major issue accross Nigerian Universities.

Students and lecturers have often depended heavily on foreign publications that, while valuable, sometimes fail to reflect Nigeria’s socio-economic context and intellectual traditions.

This reliance has not only limited the development of indigenous scholarship but also placed financial pressure on institutions forced to import expensive learning materials.

In response to this long-standing gap, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has intensified efforts to strengthen local academic publishing through its Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project.

The initiative, which promotes the production and distribution of scholarly textbooks written by Nigerian academics, is gradually transforming the intellectual landscape of the nation’s tertiary institutions.

The significance of this intervention came into focus recently during the public presentation of 72 new academic textbooks sponsored by TETFund, alongside 10 additional titles secured for use in tertiary institutions.

The event, held at the Fund’s auditorium in Abuja, aimed to strengthen indigenous scholarship, which is vital for national development, innovation, and educational excellence.

Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch Sonny Echono, said the presentation of the new books was a major milestone in the effort to reposition Nigeria’s higher education system through locally generated knowledge.

“It is my honour and immense pleasure to welcome you to the public presentation of seventy-two titles of academic textbooks authored by distinguished Nigerian scholars and published under the Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project of the Fund,” Echono said.

He explained that the books being presented represent only a portion of the intellectual resources produced under the initiative. In addition to the 72 titles authored through the intervention, the Fund secured 10 other textbooks written by reputable Nigerian scholars for use in tertiary institutions.

“This brings the total number of academic textbooks to be presented today to eighty-two,” he stated.

According to Echono, the programme was conceived to address a long-standing deficit in Nigeria’s tertiary education system. The shortage of quality textbooks has affected teaching, learning, and research across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

“The persistent shortage of high-quality tertiary level textbooks in Nigeria has long posed a major challenge to teaching, learning, and research.

“Beyond the issue of limited quantity, there has also been a compelling need to improve the quality of locally produced academic textbooks,” he added.

The TETFund boss noted that these challenges prompted the establishment of the Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project, which seeks to promote credible academic publishing and encourage Nigerian scholars to contribute actively to knowledge production.

To ensure the programme maintains rigorous academic standards, the TETFund Board of Trustees established a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) in 2009. The committee comprises renowned academics drawn from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as well as representatives of major academic unions and regulatory bodies.

These include the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COAESU), and regulatory agencies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

Echono further explained that the diverse membership of the group has helped ensure a credible peer review process and strict adherence to academic standards in evaluating manuscripts submitted for publication.

LEADERSHIP report that despite the ambitious vision of the programme, progress was initially slow as only 20 textbooks were produced in 2014, and no new publications followed for several years.

However, the narrative began to change after Echono assumed office in 2022 as he stated; “Upon my assumption of office in 2022, the manuscripts evaluation process was appraised and refocused, while a new cohort of the Technical Advisory Committee was reconstituted with a two-year tenure.”

The reforms quickly produced ten titles which were presented in August 2022, followed by another 50 in January 2023.

In March 2025, an additional 50 textbooks were unveiled, significantly expanding the pool of indigenous academic resources available to Nigerian institutions.

Barely a year later, the Fund has surpassed that figure with the presentation of 72 newly published textbooks.

“In pursuit of our desire to improve the learning experience of our students, ten titles of academic textbooks by reputable authors were also approved and secured by the Fund,” Echono added.

He revealed that with the latest additions, TETFund has now published a total of 202 academic textbook titles under the initiative, with several more currently undergoing evaluation.

The Fund said it has commenced the distribution of over 400,000 copies of these textbooks to beneficiary institutions nationwide.

The Executive Secretary also announced a policy adjustment designed to ensure prudent management of resources.

Instead of the previous arrangement where authors received 1,000 copies of their books, contributors will now be paid honoraria based on the content and size of their publications.

“Authors will now receive monetary honoraria based on the content and number of pages in their books, along with twenty complimentary copies,” he explained.

Echono emphasised that the success of the project has been supported by the leadership of the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.

“This milestone achievement has been made possible through the exemplary leadership and steadfast support of the Honourable Minister of Education, whose commitment to policies and programmes that promote academic excellence and knowledge production remains unwavering,” he said.

Providing further insights into the initiative, the Chairman of the Technical Advisory Group, Albert Ayorinde Abegunde, described the event as a celebration of scholarship and intellectual progress.

“Today we celebrate scholarship, honour academic excellence, and reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to knowledge creation as the foundation of national progress,” he said.

Abegunde noted that Nigerian universities had for decades depended heavily on imported textbooks that did not fully reflect the nation’s developmental realities.

“For decades, Nigerian universities relied heavily on imported texts that often fail to reflect the realities and aspirations of our society,” he said.

He added that the TETFund intervention represents a critical step towards intellectual self-reliance and the strengthening of indigenous scholarship.

According to him, the newly presented textbooks cover a broad range of disciplines, including medicine, pharmacy, law, engineering, agriculture, environmental studies, economics, management sciences, tourism, entrepreneurship, and research methodology.

“These works are designed to enrich teaching, deepen research, strengthen policy engagement, and enhance learning in our tertiary institutions,” he said.

One of the volumes, titled Perspectives on Environmental Management, stands out as the largest publication among the new titles, with over 1,200 pages.

Abegunde also revealed that the pipeline of academic manuscripts continues to grow, demonstrating rising interest among Nigerian scholars.

“Presently, more than forty manuscripts have already been cleared by TAG for publication; over sixty are undergoing rigorous peer review; and about sixty-five newly submitted manuscripts will be considered at the next TAG meeting,” he said.

To further expand the reach of Nigerian scholarship, the group plans to introduce an Open Access platform that will make TETFund-sponsored publications accessible to scholars worldwide.

The initiative, he said, would significantly enhance the global visibility of Nigerian research and academic writing.

Beyond textbook production, the project also aims to reverse the effects of brain drain by engaging Nigerian scholars in the diaspora.

“TAG seeks to transform brain drain into brain gain by strengthening collaboration with Nigerian scholars abroad and harnessing their intellectual resources for national development,” Abegunde added.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening academic excellence in Nigeria’s higher education system.

According to him, the textbook initiative reflects the government’s determination to address the shortage of locally authored learning materials and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign publications.

“Nigerian tertiary institutions have increasingly relied on foreign textbooks, putting pressure on foreign exchange and discouraging indigenous authorship,” the minister stated.

He stressed that encouraging Nigerian scholars to produce quality textbooks would ensure the availability of relevant learning materials across diverse disciplines, particularly in critical fields such as science, technology, and engineering.

The minister also explained that the TETFund Book Development Intervention not only supports textbook publication but also promotes professional academic journals and the establishment of academic publishing centres.

He commended the authors, publishers, and academic stakeholders involved in the initiative for their contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s global academic reputation.

Alausa also acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu for ongoing reforms aimed at improving the country’s education sector, expressing optimism that the newly published textbooks would help bridge the gap in indigenous academic publishing and improve access to relevant learning materials across Nigerian universities and colleges.