FG orders tertiary institutions to account for unutilised TETFund allocations within 30 days
…warns against idle funds, pledges tighter oversight, public transparency
Tunji Alausa, minister of education, has directed heads of federal tertiary institutions to reconcile and submit detailed reports on all unutilised Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations within 30 days, warning that idle funds will no longer be tolerated.
Alausa issued the directive on Thursday, while addressing a meeting with the management of TETFund, heads of federal tertiary institutions, bursars, and procurement directors at the TETFund office in Abuja. The meeting was convened to tackle the persistent issue of unutilised balances in TETFund allocations.
He noted that the problem of unspent TETFund allocations has undermined the government’s investments in the education sector, with many institutions failing to fully deploy funds earmarked for critical infrastructure, research, and capacity development.
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“one recurring challenge that has continued to undermine this investment is the existence of unutilised balances — funds released for specific projects or interventions that are either not deployed on time or not fully expended before new allocations are made.
“Over time, these idle funds represent lost opportunities, resources that could have improved laboratories, classrooms, ICT facilities, research centres, faculty development, and more, but did not, due to process delays, weak absorptive capacity, or compliance and accountability gaps.
“At the end of this meeting, the Ministry will issue directives to ensure effective use of TETFund resources. Institutions must submit reconciled reports of all unutilised funds within 30 days, which will be jointly verified,” the Minister stated.
Alausa identified key causes of unutilised balances, including poor planning and project design, procurement bottlenecks, weak institutional capacity, reporting delays, coordination lapses, and regulatory constraints.
He warned that such inefficiencies not only waste public resources but also erode stakeholder confidence and slow educational advancement.
“The risks associated with these challenges are significant: Wastage of appropriated funds; Erosion of stakeholder confidence in governance;
Loss of opportunities for institutional advancement; Accelerated infrastructure decay while funds remain idle; Disparities in project outcomes across institutions.
“It is not enough to lament this situation. As the Federal Ministry of Education, we have a binding obligation to ensure that every naira allocated to education is used productively, transparently, and in a timely manner.”
To address the challenge, the Minister announced a series of measures, including stricter oversight, enhanced monitoring, and quarterly reviews of ongoing projects.
He said that heads of institutions, bursars, and procurement directors would be held directly accountable for project delays and lapses in fund utilisation.
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“We expect zero tolerance for avoidable delays and lapses. Every naira allocated to education must be used productively, transparently, and in a timely manner,” he said
Alausa disclosed that unutilised funds would henceforth be redirected to priority projects, warning that institutions would no longer be allowed to carry over funds without strong justification.
“Unused funds may be redirected to priority projects, and carrying them over without strong justification will no longer be allowed. Procurement plans must align with approved interventions, and approvals should be fast-tracked to prevent delays,”
He also announced plans for capacity-building programmes in project management, procurement, and compliance, as well as the introduction of mentorship initiatives to strengthen institutional performance.
In a move to promote transparency, the Minister said the Ministry would launch a public dashboard to display disbursement and utilisation data, while institutions would be required to publish periodic progress reports on TETFund projects.
He called on TETFund to lead with professionalism and ensure compliance, while urging heads of institutions and their management teams to treat fund utilisation with the urgency and accountability it deserves.
“Let unutilised balances no longer be a recurring embarrassment, but rather the catalyst for improved governance, greater productivity, and transformative impact in our tertiary education system.
“No fund idle; every project delivered; every institution elevated,” Alausa said.
