By Muslimat Itopa
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, has charged stakeholders in the tertiary education sector to frankly discuss challenges confronting their institutions and proffer practical solutions capable of transforming higher education in Nigeria.
Governor ododo gave the charge on Thursday while declaring open the 2026 North-Central TETFund Town Hall Meeting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
He said the meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the future of tertiary education, strengthen collaboration among institutions and develop solutions that would benefit the North-Central region and the country at large.
The governor commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for its interventions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country, particularly in infrastructure, research, academic staff development and institutional capacity building.
He also lauded President Bola Tinubu for strengthening TETFund under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the Federal Government’s commitment had enhanced the Fund’s capacity to deliver impactful interventions.
According to him, the Kogi State Government remains committed to supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening TETFund and providing an enabling environment for its interventions.
Ododo congratulated Dr Abdulrahman Ocholi on his appointment by the President as member of the TETFund Board of Trustees representing the North-Central zone.
He urged participants to freely exchange ideas, identify what is working and what is not working in their institutions, and develop recommendations capable of strengthening institutional governance, public policy, research and innovation.
He said recommendations from the town hall should not remain on paper but translate into measurable actions that would improve the quality of tertiary education.
Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Prof. Babatunde Bolaji Bernard said the Federal Government considers education an investment in national productivity, economic competitiveness, innovation and security.
He said the Renewed Hope Agenda had strengthened the role of TETFund as a major vehicle for addressing infrastructure deficits, promoting research and supporting the development of a knowledge-driven economy.
According to him, TETFund’s 2026 interventions include ICT experience centres across the six geopolitical zones, medical simulation centres, alternative power solutions, campus transformation projects, research programmes and other infrastructure initiatives.
He called for research into food security, energy, healthcare, housing, transportation, climate change, digital technology, artificial intelligence, manufacturing and national security.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said tertiary institutions must align education with the economic realities and development needs of their communities.
Idris stressed that education must equip young Nigerians with the skills required to participate meaningfully in the emerging digital economy, particularly in artificial intelligence, automation and digital platforms.
The minister highlighted the Federal Government’s student loan initiative, saying it was designed to ensure that qualified Nigerian students are not denied tertiary education because of inability to pay tuition and other expenses.
Earlier in his welcome address, Ocholi described the town hall meeting as a strategic platform for dialogue, accountability and collaboration among TETFund, beneficiary institutions, governments, students and host communities.
Ocholi said the theme of the meeting, “Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and Its Impact on Tertiary Institutions in North-Central Nigeria”, provided an opportunity to assess the impact of Federal Government policies and TETFund interventions on tertiary education in the region.
He said TETFund had expanded its support for academic staff training and development, innovation and entrepreneurship hubs, research, digital transformation, postgraduate scholarships and infrastructure.
He noted that initiatives such as TETFAIR and Research for Impact had trained academics and supported the development of prototypes with commercialisation potential.
Ocholi said that the North-Central zone, comprising Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, occupies a strategic position in the nation’s socio-economic development.
According to him, the meeting offered vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, commissioners for education, students, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders the opportunity to speak openly about challenges facing their institutions and identify opportunities for improvement.
A highlight of the event was the endorsement of President Tinubu and Governor Ododo for a second term in office, as well as the appointment of Governor Ododo as Patron of the North-Central TETFund stakeholders’ forum.
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