The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has revealed that President Bola Tinubu is set to inaugurate a number of its landmark projects across the country before the end of the year.

Executive Secretary of the Fund, Arc. Sonny Echono, stated this on Friday in Abuja when he received Aljazirah Personality of the Year Award.

Arc. Echono, who dedicated the award to President Tinubu for his steadfast support for the education sector, assured that the President would be invited to commission a number of iconic projects during his forthcoming re-election campaign.

The TETFund boss noted that these high-profile commissioning events would be accompanied by extensive media coverage, aimed at highlighting the tangible progress and transformative impact of the administration’s investments in tertiary education across the country.

The Guardian recalls that in February this year, Echono had disclosed that the Fund would unveil more than 467 projects spanning 271 beneficiary institutions across the country.

Speaking at the award ceremony, he said the initiative would not only demonstrate accountability but also provide Nigerians with clear evidence of how public funds are being translated into critical infrastructure and improved learning environments.

He further commended President Tinubu for creating an enabling environment that allowed the Fund to secure early approval for its 2026 intervention projects as far back as 2025. This proactive move, he explained, has significantly enhanced planning and execution, as beneficiary institutions can access and deploy funds in good time.

The Executive Secretary added that the early release of allocations would accelerate the pace of development in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, ensuring that projects are completed on schedule and to high standards, ultimately strengthening the overall quality of Nigeria’s higher education system.

His words: “There are times when we even take issues to him, and he will say, just like the power sector intervention, when many of our institutions were burdened by high electricity bills, students were even agitating, and we told him we needed to intervene in this area, that we’ll do it over a period because of limitation of funds. And he said to us, ‘Don’t worry, go ahead and do your own, I will also mobilise additional money to support you so that we can ensure that most of our tertiary institutions would become energy self-sufficient’. And he kept his word, the funds mobilised for the institutions was even twice what we have been able to provide”.

He noted that the award serves as a testament to the administration’s commitment to revitalising tertiary education and driving sustainable development across the country.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Aljazirah Nigeria/London, Dr. Etuk Bassey, said the award bestowed on the Executive Secretary was in recognition of his exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to educational development, and transformative impact on Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape.

He noted that under his stewardship, the Fund has recorded remarkable strides in infrastructure development, academic staff training, and the integration of technology into learning across institutions.

Bassey further emphasised that the honour also reflects Echono’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and strategic reforms that have strengthened the credibility and effectiveness of the intervention agency.

According to him, the award serves not only as a celebration of past achievements but also as an encouragement to sustain the momentum in advancing quality education and national development.