By Clement John,
ABUJA- The Federal Government has launched a N250 billion intervention programme aimed at tackling decades of inadequate student accommodation across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of governing boards of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education, describing it as the most ambitious single-year investment in student housing in the country’s history.
According to him, the programme is designed to significantly expand hostel capacity and reduce overcrowding in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education nationwide.
Under the scheme, about 50 tertiary institutions will each receive N2 billion for the construction of new hostel facilities, with each project expected to deliver at least 500-bed spaces.
The initiative, funded through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), will also support the rehabilitation and expansion of existing student accommodation across campuses.
In a parallel arrangement, the government is also rolling out N80 billion for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects across 24 federal tertiary institutions. Each PPP project is expected to provide between 1,200 and 1,500 bed spaces, with TETFund contributing N1 billion as counterpart funding while private investors finance the remaining balance, bringing the total investment per institution to about N4 billion.
Alausa said the intervention, approved under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, represents a decisive shift towards large-scale infrastructure renewal in the education sector.
Beyond housing, the minister said the reforms are aimed at expanding access to education, improving quality, integrating technology, and aligning the sector with national development priorities.
He charged newly inaugurated board members and institutional leaders to ensure transparency, accountability and innovation in implementing the reforms.
“You must provide strategic leadership, strengthen academic programmes, invest in faculty development, and prioritise student welfare,” he said.
The event also featured the unveiling of key appointments, including Prof. Babatunde Lawal Salako as Chairman of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Modupe Adeola Adelabu as Chairman of the National Examinations Council (NECO), and Shofoyeke David as Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration.
Others appointed include Engr. Dr. Bongfa Bonfa as Rector of Federal Polytechnic Nyak-Shendam, Plateau State, and Prof. Tijani Kalli as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, Bama, alongside other principal officers.
With the combined push of direct funding and PPP-driven expansion, the government said it is aiming to rapidly improve campus living conditions and place student welfare at the centre of ongoing education reforms.
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