Egbewole hails TETFund as lifeline of Nigerian tertiary education
By Tajudeen Babamale
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has said that the country’s tertiary education system is extremely fortunate to have the sustained support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), noting that, its interventions have remained central to the growth and survival of universities across the country.
Prof. Egbewole stated this last Friday (March 27, 2026) while receiving members of the TETFund Medical Equipment Committee at the Vice Chancellor’s Committee Room, ahead of their assessment visit to the institution’s College of Health Sciences.
The Vice Chancellor commended the Fund for what he termed its “remarkable and consistent interventions,” saying that the University of Ilorin has particularly benefited from its various initiatives over the years. According to him, the impact of TETFund on infrastructure, research, and capacity development within Nigerian universities cannot be overstated.
He observed that without TETFund’s support, many tertiary institutions in Nigeria would struggle to maintain basic standards, stressing that the agency has become a backbone for institutional development.
The Vice Chancellor, who is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West Africa Universities (AWAU), appealed to the Fund to sustain and even expand its interventions for the continued advancement of higher education in the country.
He also assured the visiting team that all ongoing TETFund-supported projects within the University, including medical interventions, procurement of modern equipment, and hostel development, are progressing steadily and in line with approved specifications. He expressed optimism that several of these projects would soon be ready for commissioning, adding that the University looks forward to hosting TETFund officials for formal inauguration ceremonies in the coming months.
Speaking on the significance of the visit, the Vice Chancellor noted that the proposed medical equipment intervention would significantly enhance the quality of medical training at the University.
He explained that the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment would not only improve teaching and research but also contribute to better healthcare delivery in the country.
Having reviewed the list of requested items by the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Egbewole passionately appealed to the Committee to give favourable consideration to all submissions, stressing that the University only makes requests based on genuine needs. He reiterated that the institution is committed to the judicious utilisation of all resources allocated to it.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Medical Equipment Committee, who is also the Chairman of the Association of Provosts of Colleges of Medicine in Nigeria (APCOM), Prof. Biodun Sulyman Alabi, explained that the visit was part of a critical assessment process aimed at reviewing the University’s submissions for medical equipment intervention.
Prof. Alabi, who is also the Provost, College of Health Sciences. University of Ilorin, further clarified that the procurement of the medical equipment would be centrally handled by TETFund.
The APCOM Chairman also used the opportunity to commend the leadership of the University of Ilorin for its prudent management of resources. He stated that the institution has built a strong reputation for transparency, accountability, and efficient utilisation of intervention funds, describing it as one of the universities with an impressive track record in that regard.
