Private Universities Should Access TETFund, Says Al-Hikmah VC

The vice chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Prof. Lateef Oladimeji, has renewed the calls for inclusion in private universities in Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) schemes.

Oladimeji described the exclusion of private universities in TETFund schemes as unjust and counterproductive.

He said the current legal framework bars private institutions from accessing TETFund despite their indirect contributions through taxes paid by the organised private sector.

“It is unfortunate that funds sourced partly from the organised private sector exclude private universities from benefiting. We are part of that ecosystem,” he said.

He said stakeholders were intensifying efforts to persuade the National Assembly to amend the Act to accommodate private universities, adding that, “all that is required is a review of the relevant clause to allow inclusion in the disbursement framework.”

Oladimeji acknowledged that limited access to intervention funds has continued to strain research financing in private universities.

He said that his university relied on institutional linkages and partnerships to attract research grants, though the inflow remains inadequate.

“We leverage collaborations and networks to secure research funding, but the resources are still not sufficient,” he said.