FG Unveils strategy for sustainable funding of universities

The federal government has unveiled a new strategy aimed at ensuring sustainable funding for Nigerian universities through the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP), a reform designed to strengthen institutional financial resilience and reduce dependence on government allocations.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this in a keynote address delivered on his behalf at the closing ceremony of the National University Advancement Programme training for university officials.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Ikharo Attah, the program represents a renewed commitment to building stronger universities with the institutional capacity, partnerships, and systems required to compete in the global knowledge economy.

According to the statement, the National University Advancement Programme brought together vice-chancellors, university administrators, advancement officers, and senior officials from federal universities and inter-university centres for intensive training on global best practices in institutional advancement, donor stewardship, alumni engagement, and sustainable university development.

Alausa explained that while the federal government remains committed to supporting higher education, universities must also develop alternative sources of funding by strengthening internal systems, cultivating strategic partnerships, and engaging their alumni.

He stressed that the National University Advancement Programme is designed to complement, rather than replace, government funding by creating additional avenues for research funding, innovation, scholarships, infrastructure development, and long-term institutional sustainability.

The minister said the initiative was established through a strategic partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF), and the Africa Finance Corporation to institutionalise professionally managed advancement offices across federal universities and inter-university centres.

According to him, the advancement offices will serve as hubs for alumni engagement, donor relations, endowment management, strategic communications, fundraising, and institutional partnerships, helping universities strengthen their financial base, expand research opportunities, and improve their global competitiveness.

Alausa noted that Nigerian universities have a vast but largely untapped alumni network, with many graduates excelling in business, science, medicine, technology, entrepreneurship, and public service across the world.

“When universities maintain strong relationships with their alumni, research receives greater support; students gain access to scholarships and mentorship opportunities; institutions build stronger partnerships; infrastructure improves; and innovation expands,” he said.

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He added that the federal government’s vision is to build financially stronger universities capable of long-term planning, driven by robust research ecosystems and globally competitive while remaining responsive to Nigeria’s development priorities.

The minister said the training program was designed to equip vice-chancellors, university administrators, and advancement officers with practical knowledge and global best practices in alumni engagement, donor stewardship, fundraising, and sustainable university development.

He urged participants to implement the knowledge acquired by establishing transparent systems that promote accountability, strengthen institutional trust, improve governance, and enhance students’ overall learning experience.

Alausa reaffirmed that the Federal Government’s education reform agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on strengthening institutions, expanding access to quality education, and positioning the education sector as a key driver of national development.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Technical Working Committee of the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation, Claire Jemide, described the Foundation as a strategic partner committed to strengthening Nigeria’s higher education ecosystem through sustained investment in people, institutions, and collaborative partnerships.

She said the University Advancement Programme, launched following the Memorandum of Agreement signed with the Federal Ministry of Education in January 2026, marks another milestone in equipping Nigerian universities with the systems and strategies needed to strengthen alumni relations, fundraising, communications, and long-term institutional advancement.