President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged stakeholders across Nigeria to join hands with the Federal Government in addressing the pressing challenges of tertiary education funding.
Speaking at the 36th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), the President emphasized that education cannot be left to the government alone, but must be a shared responsibility between government, academia, industry, and society at large.
Tinubu stressed that while the Federal Government remains committed to supporting universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, sustainable progress requires collaboration with unions, industries, and private partners.
At FUTA, over 1,030 postgraduate degrees and 1,717 first degrees were awarded, underscoring the institution’s role in producing skilled graduates for national development.
The President, represented by Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), urged Nigerian academia to focus on impactful research that provides solutions to societal challenges.
Tinubu highlighted the need for stronger ties between universities and industries to ensure that research outputs translate into practical innovations that benefit the economy.
He specifically called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other educational unions to collaborate with the government in creating a sustainable funding blueprint for Nigerian universities.
“Education is the backbone of national development. While the Federal Government will continue to provide support, the time has come for all stakeholders to revisit the ownership of tertiary education funding. We must work together to ensure that our institutions remain competitive, innovative, and capable of producing graduates who can thrive in today’s global economy,” President Tinubu stated through his representative.
This call comes at a time when Nigeria is implementing reforms to improve transparency and accountability in the education sector, including the launch of the Federal Government Tertiary Institution Governance and Transparency Platform (FTIGTP) – a digital initiative designed to curb corruption and enhance efficiency.
President Tinubu’s appeal signals a new era of partnership in Nigerian tertiary education, where government, academia, unions, and private stakeholders must unite to secure the future of higher learning. The administration’s vision is clear, education funding must be inclusive, innovative, and sustainable.