Tinubu Moves To Remove Universities From IPPIS, Strengthen Autonomy

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced plans to remove universities from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as part of efforts to strengthen institutional autonomy and enable tertiary institutions to address their staffing needs more efficiently.

Tinubu disclosed this on Saturday at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), in Bauchi State, where he said the reforms were designed to make Nigeria’s university system more responsive and competitive.

The President, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sunday Sylva Togo Echono, said the reforms would help universities attract and retain the talent needed to improve teaching, research, innovation and national development.

He also announced that the federal government had removed universities from the requirement to obtain recruitment waivers from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

According to him, the Ministry of Education and university governing councils have been empowered to perform their respective roles in staff recruitment, allowing institutions to respond more effectively to legitimate manpower needs.

Tinubu, who is the visitor to FUHSA, said the university was established by the Federal Government following gaps exposed in Nigeria’s health sector by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He explained that the pandemic demonstrated that a strong national health system required not only hospitals and medical equipment but also well-trained professionals, research capacity and institutions capable of developing solutions to emerging health challenges.

He said the federal government, through TETFund, provided an initial intervention of N8 billion to support the university’s take-off.

“Following its establishment, the federal government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, provided an initial intervention of N8 billion to support the take-off of the university. It is therefore particularly gratifying to see the progress that has been made within a relatively short period,” he said.

The President described the graduation of FUHSA’s pioneer students from the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics as a significant milestone in the institution’s development.

He assured the university of continued federal government support through TETFund’s regular and special interventions, particularly in infrastructure development, research facilities and staff capacity building.

Tinubu said provisions had also been made in the 2026 national budget to strengthen the university’s physical and operational capacity, including the construction of roads and lecture halls, provision of laboratories and acquisition of utility vehicles.

He added that regular overhead allocations would continue to support the institution’s daily operations.

On research and innovation, the President said the federal government had provided N10 billion for the National Research Fund in 2026 through TETFund.

He urged universities, particularly those specialising in health sciences, to take advantage of the funding to conduct research addressing Nigeria’s health challenges.

“Our investment in tertiary education is not limited to infrastructure. We are also strengthening research and innovation because no nation can achieve sustainable development without generating knowledge and converting that knowledge into practical solutions,” he said.

Tinubu also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to protecting educational institutions through the Safe School Initiative and other measures aimed at safeguarding students, teachers and academic communities.

He described a safe and conducive learning environment as essential to educational excellence, human capital development and sustainable national growth.

The President further emphasised the importance of investing in the welfare and professional development of university personnel, including lecturers, researchers, administrators, technologists and other staff.

He said his administration remained committed to creating an enabling environment for staff development, improved welfare and professional growth while promoting merit, productivity and excellence across the university system.

On access to higher education, Tinubu said the federal government was using the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to reduce financial barriers and enable more students to pursue tertiary education.

He disclosed that 1,798 FUHSA students had secured NELFUND support for the 2025/2026 academic session, representing 43 per cent of the university’s student population.

According to him, the intervention would help students from financially constrained backgrounds gain access to and remain in higher education, while strengthening education as a pathway to opportunity, social mobility and national development.

“We will continue to pursue policies that ensure that ability, determination and merit, not financial circumstance, remain the principal determinants of access to quality higher education in Nigeria,” he said.

Tinubu also commended FUHSA for establishing collaborations with internationally recognised institutions, including the University of Miami, Boston University and Universiti Sains Malaysia.

He said the university had also signed memoranda of understanding with federal and state government institutions in Nigeria, adding that such partnerships could strengthen teaching, research, innovation, capacity development and healthcare delivery.

The President urged the university management to sustain the collaborations and translate them into measurable results that would support the institution’s growth and improve its contribution to Nigeria’s health sector.

He noted that strategic partnerships could promote knowledge exchange, joint research, staff and student development, technology transfer and the adoption of best practices.

Congratulating the pioneer graduands, Tinubu said their status as the first graduates of the institution placed a special responsibility on them to contribute to the development of the university and the country.

“Being the pioneer set also carries a special responsibility. You will be remembered not only as the first to graduate from FUHSA, but also by the contributions you make to the development of this institution and to the nation as alumni,” he said.