Education

FG Opens N10 Billion TETFund Research Grant Applications — How Lecturers Can Apply

Published

2 months ago

August 31, 2026

FG Opens N10 Billion TETFund Research Grant Applications — How Lecturers Can Apply

TETFund increases research funding by 64.2% over 2025 cycle, invites concept notes from public tertiary institution lecturers across Nigeria

The Federal Government has approved N10 billion for the 2026 National Research Fund (NRF) Grant Cycle of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) , representing a significant 64.2 per cent increase over the N6.09 billion committed to 174 research projects in the 2025 cycle. The announcement was made in a call for concept notes signed by the TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono, who emphasised that the increased funding is aimed at strengthening research activities and boosting the capacity of Nigerian researchers across public tertiary institutions. The initiative is expected to provide researchers with greater support to carry out studies focused on national development and pressing societal challenges, reinforcing the Federal Government’s commitment to investing in homegrown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing problems. The 2026 NRF grant cycle is designed to support research that addresses critical national challenges and contributes to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development. According to Echono, the fund will support multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects that have the potential to generate knowledge and innovations that can be translated into policies, products and services for the benefit of Nigerian society. The latest approval comes as part of ongoing efforts by TETFund and the Federal Government to increase investment in research and ensure that Nigerian institutions have the resources needed to produce impactful research that can compete globally.

According to TETFund, lecturers in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria are eligible to apply for the 2026 NRF grant. This includes academics from federal and state universities, polytechnics and colleges of education who are interested in conducting research across the 30 priority thematic areas identified for the grant cycle. The fund encourages multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research involving scholars from different fields, as well as collaborations across institutions to foster knowledge sharing and innovation. Each application must have a Principal Investigator (PI) who will lead the research team and take responsibility for the conduct of the project. The PI must be institution-based, with the PI’s institution serving as the coordinating institution and guarantor of the proper application of funds for the project. Researchers are encouraged to form teams that bring together diverse expertise to address complex research questions.

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The application process is conducted entirely online through the TETFund National Research Fund portal at nrf.tetfund.gov.ng. Eligible researchers are required to visit the NRF portal to prepare and submit their concept notes, study the Research Brief and Application Guidelines carefully before submission, and await evaluation by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC) . The Fund has emphasised that only Principal Investigators whose concept notes are evaluated and considered fundable will be invited to submit full research proposals. The PI and at least one member of the research team behind a successful proposal will subsequently be invited to defend the project before the committee, after which successful proposals will be presented to the TETFund Board of Trustees for final approval and disbursement of funds.

TETFund has announced that the portal will open for concept-note submissions on August 31, 2026, with the deadline set for October 15, 2026. The Fund has stressed that “There will be no extension” , urging applicants to submit their concept notes well ahead of the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

The N10 billion fund will support research across 30 priority thematic areas, grouped into three broad categories. The Humanities and Social Sciences category includes Citizenship and National Integration, Conflict, Defence and Security, Economic Development and Globalisation, Education and Human Capital, Gender, Equity and Social Inclusion, Governance, Politics, Law and Ethics, History, Culture and Identities, Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology and Business Interface, Languages, Literatures and Media, Population and Migration, Social Development and Welfare, and Tourism, Sports and Recreation. The Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation category covers Agriculture and Food Security, Geosciences, Health and Social Welfare, Industry and Innovation, Information Technology, Computing and Telecommunications, Power and Energy, Science and Engineering, Space Science and Technology, Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Terrestrial Ecosystems, Transport and Infrastructure, and Water and Sanitation. The Cross-Cutting category includes Blue Economy, Clean and Affordable Energy, Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation, Environment, Housing, Urban and Regional Development, Innovation and Technology in National Defence Capabilities, Resource Governance, and National System of Innovation.

For enquiries, applicants can contact the TETFund NRF Secretariat through the following emails: zanginas@tetfund.gov.ng, odoju@tetfund.gov.ng, ukimci@tetfund.gov.ng, and ugwubs@tetfund.gov.ng. The Fund has encouraged researchers to reach out with any questions regarding the application process, eligibility requirements, or priority thematic areas.

FG Opens N10 Billion TETFund Research Grant Applications — How Lecturers Can Apply

Education

Cross River Seals 58 Schools in Crackdown on Unapproved Education Centres

Published

6 days ago

October 10, 2026

Trends Admin

Cross Rivers Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey

Cross River Seals 58 Schools in Crackdown on Unapproved Education Centres

The Cross River State Government has shut down 58 unapproved schools in an intensified statewide crackdown on institutions operating without the mandatory Approval to Operate (ATO), warning proprietors against reopening without official authorisation.

The enforcement exercise, being conducted by the state Ministry of Education through its Department of Quality Assurance, targets schools that have failed to meet the regulatory requirements for operating nursery, primary and secondary educational institutions.

The Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey, said the exercise was aimed at enforcing education standards, protecting pupils and students, and ensuring that schools operate within the state’s approved regulatory framework.

The government said the inspections would continue across Cross River State’s 18 local government areas as authorities work to identify unapproved institutions and ensure compliance with existing regulations.

Odey warned that schools sealed during the operation must not resume activities until they have obtained the necessary approval from the relevant authorities. He also cautioned proprietors against violating closure orders, saying offenders could face further sanctions.

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According to the state government, the enforcement campaign is not intended to victimise school owners but to ensure that all educational institutions meet the minimum requirements for safe and effective teaching and learning.

Among the schools identified in the government’s October 10 announcement were Impact Group of Schools, Gospel Beacon Academy and Divvy Bliss Schools in Calabar Municipality.

Others included Warriors Seed Academy, Children of Promise Christian School and Future Amazing International Schools in Calabar South.

In Odukpani Local Government Area, the government listed De-Royal Academy School, Maria Assumpta Nursery/Primary School and Success Kids Nursery/Primary School among the affected institutions.

Five schools were also identified in Akamkpa Local Government Area: Creative Brain International School, St. Luck’s Anglican Nursery/Primary School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Hot Brain Academy and Armour Christian International School.

The latest closures followed earlier enforcement exercises announced by the government during the week. On October 9, authorities reported identifying 15 schools operating without approval in Calabar Municipality, Odukpani and Yakurr. On October 8, another nine schools were reported shut in Calabar Municipality, while 14 schools were identified in Calabar South on October 7.

The successive operations form part of the government’s effort to strengthen school regulation and quality assurance across the state. However, the individual batches should not be added together without a consolidated list confirming that no school has been counted more than once.

The government has urged proprietors of affected schools to approach the appropriate authorities to regularise their operations and obtain the necessary approvals before reopening.

Parents and guardians have also been encouraged to verify the approval status of schools attended by their children to ensure that the institutions comply with the state’s requirements.

The closures could disrupt learning for pupils and students whose schools have been affected, particularly where families need to find alternative institutions. The government has not provided a consolidated public list of all 58 schools in the reports reviewed or announced a common reopening date for the affected institutions.

The crackdown follows an earlier warning issued by the state government in August 2025, when it announced plans to close unapproved nursery, primary and secondary schools from September of that year.

The state government has maintained that compliance with school approval requirements is necessary to uphold educational standards and ensure that institutions operate within the law.

Cross River Seals 58 Schools in Crackdown on Unapproved Education Centres

Education

FG Releases Eight-Month Arrears After SSANU Strike Threat

Published

1 week ago

October 7, 2026

Trends Admin

FG Releases Eight-Month Arrears After SSANU Strike Threat

The Federal Government has released eight months’ salary arrears owed members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), less than 48 hours after the union issued a 14-day ultimatum threatening an indefinite strike.

SSANU had issued the ultimatum over the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement and demanded payment of outstanding entitlements, warning that failure to act would lead to a “total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action.”

The union’s demands included payment of outstanding Consolidated University Teaching and Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTTA) arrears calculated from January 1, 2026.

It also demanded payment of two months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 industrial action, as well as one-year arrears arising from the approved 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases.

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Confirming the release, SSANU National President, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, said members would begin receiving alerts reflecting the payment.

Ibrahim commended the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, for intervening in the matter and facilitating the release of the funds.

However, the payment does not resolve all of the union’s outstanding demands. SSANU has maintained that the government must settle the remaining arrears and ensure full implementation of the 2026 agreement.

The development has nevertheless eased an immediate threat of disruption in the Nigerian university system, coming just days after the union warned of a nationwide industrial action.

SSANU has urged affected members to liaise with their respective university managements to ensure that the released funds are properly and promptly paid.

The latest development comes amid continuing concerns over university workers’ salaries, arrears and welfare, as well as the implementation of agreements between the Federal Government and university-based unions.

FG Releases Eight-Month Arrears After SSANU Strike Threat

Education

Why JAMB Is Taking UTME To Canada — Registrar Explains

Published

1 week ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

JAMB Registrar Professor Segun Aina

Why JAMB Is Taking UTME To Canada — Registrar Explains

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has explained why it is taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to Canada, saying the move is aimed at expanding access to Nigerian tertiary education rather than making money.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, said the board is working to establish a UTME examination centre in Ottawa, Canada, from 2027 to enable eligible Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America to sit the examination without travelling to Nigeria solely for the exercise.

The planned centre followed Aina’s visit to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, where discussions were held on arrangements for conducting the examination.

JAMB said the initiative is part of its effort to make the Nigerian university admission system more accessible to Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

“For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home,” the board said while announcing the plan.

However, the decision has generated questions over the likely number of candidates who would use the centre and whether establishing an examination facility in Canada would be financially viable.

Responding to such concerns, Aina said the number of candidates was not the primary consideration for establishing foreign examination centres.

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He explained that JAMB currently conducts the UTME in about 10 foreign countries as a service to improve access to education, adding that the board also conducts examinations in correctional service centres for the same reason.

According to the registrar, Nigerians relocate abroad for different reasons, while children of Nigerian public servants posted overseas may also need to sit the UTME without returning to the country specifically for the examination.

Aina said the absence of a JAMB examination centre in North America had previously made it difficult for prospective candidates in the region to participate in the UTME locally.

He added that JAMB does not necessarily need to acquire or rent a permanent building or employ a new workforce to establish the Ottawa centre.

The registrar explained that the board works with Nigerian diplomatic missions in countries where it conducts overseas examinations, using temporary spaces within high commission premises and relying on diplomatic mission staff to assist with the exercise.

Aina also said no money had been spent on the proposed Canadian centre so far.

He explained that his visit to Canada coincided with a conference and that he used the opportunity to initiate discussions with the Nigerian High Commission about the proposed examination arrangement.

JAMB‘s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, also defended the initiative, saying more than 100 prospective candidates in Canada had already indicated interest in sitting the examination there.

The proposed Ottawa centre is expected to serve eligible Nigerians in Canada as well as those in other parts of North America who wish to gain admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

JAMB said the move would reduce the barriers faced by Nigerians abroad and strengthen their connection with the country’s education system.

The board also said the initiative would provide an opportunity to showcase Nigerian tertiary education internationally and create more pathways for Nigerians in the diaspora to pursue higher education in Nigeria.

The proposed JAMB Canada centre is expected to commence operations with the 2027 UTME.