Allegations of Corruption in Tertiary Education Funding among Nigeria Senators
Recent revelations from the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) have raised serious concerns regarding the distribution of funds related to the 2025 budgets of Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
Despite the National Assembly’s firm denial of any wrongdoing, several lawmakers have come forward by disclosing that they received $1,000 as “appreciation money.” Notably, many of these lawmakers were unaware of the origins of these funds until the publication highlighted the ongoing corruption.
The investigation found that the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, alongside the House Committee on University Education, demanded ₦8 million from each federal university in Nigeria. This led to a staggering total of ₦480 million collected from university heads, with threats issued to vice-chancellors who refused to comply.
One anonymous source revealed, “In the Senate, many senators on the committee each received $1,000 as ‘appreciation money.’ Most committee members were unaware of the scheme, receiving the money in envelopes without knowing its source.” This source emphasized that lawmakers often lack sufficient information about the transactions, merely receiving small amounts in envelopes from various agencies.
Another lawmaker confirmed this account, noting that while some members view such payments as routine, others choose to reject them. Two senators from Sokoto and Lagos were specifically mentioned as refusing to partake in the distribution of these funds.
Furthermore, the investigation uncovered that another set of National Assembly committees collected ₦528 million from 66 polytechnics and colleges of education to facilitate the passage of their budgets.
These allegations highlight a troubling pattern of corruption within the funding processes for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, raising critical questions about accountability and transparency in the management of educational resources.
