The Federal Government has released ₦38.93 billion to 166 public tertiary institutions across Nigeria under the Needs Assessment Revitalisation Fund to address infrastructure challenges and improve teaching and learning facilities.
The intervention covers 79 universities, 46 polytechnics and 41 colleges of education, with universities receiving the largest share of the funding.
The Federal Ministry of Finance disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Head of Media, Efe Ovuakporie, explaining that the funds would support approved projects in the beneficiary institutions.
According to the ministry, universities will receive ₦28.5 billion, while polytechnics have been allocated ₦5.8 billion and colleges of education ₦4.7 billion.
An analysis of the allocation shows that universities account for approximately 73.2 per cent of the total funding, making them the largest beneficiaries. Polytechnics will receive about 14.9 per cent, while colleges of education account for approximately 12.1 per cent.
The ministry explained that the intervention was designed to address longstanding infrastructure deficits in public tertiary institutions and support the implementation of agreements reached between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
It stated that the funding forms part of the government's efforts to meet the needs of public universities and implement agreed measures under the Memorandum of Understanding between the government and ASUU.
The Needs Assessment Revitalisation Fund is intended to improve institutional infrastructure and address other identified challenges, particularly in public universities, where inadequate facilities have remained a recurring concern in negotiations between the government and academic unions.
The ministry added that the latest disbursement would enable beneficiary institutions to commence new projects or continue previously approved interventions aimed at improving their operational capacity.
The funds are expected to support critical infrastructure projects and other institutional needs, with the broader objective of improving the quality of tertiary education in Nigeria.
The Federal Government also stressed the importance of coordination among the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Education and the beneficiary institutions to ensure that the funds deliver measurable improvements.
It noted that effective collaboration would be essential to translating the financial intervention into better infrastructure, stronger institutional capacity and improved learning conditions across the country's public tertiary institutions.
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