Get Guardian on GoogleThe enlistment of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Institute of Technology as a beneficiary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) represents an important opportunity to bridge the gap between technical education, research and Nigeria’s defence manufacturing ambitions. Beyond the prospect of annual funding, the development offers a pathway to strengthen indigenous engineering capacity, improve technical training and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign expertise.
With allocations expected to commence in 2027, the institute’s inclusion expands TETFund’s institutional reach and brings the total number of beneficiary institutions to 311, comprising 140 universities, 91 polytechnics and 80 Colleges of Education. The expansion underscores the growing recognition that tertiary education financing system must support institutions capable of translating specialised knowledge into practical solutions to national challenges.
The Executive Secretary, TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed the approval during a visit by DICON’s Director General, Maj. Gen. Babatunde Alaya and his delegation to the Fund in Abuja. He said the Board of Trustees approved DICON’s enlistment at its meeting the previous week, paving the way for the institution to access the Fund’s intervention programmes from 2027.
“Effectively, they are now members of the TETFund family, and from 2027, they will begin to receive annual allocations from TETFund,” Echono said.
Under Echono’s leadership, TETFund has continued to expand the scope of its interventions, recognising the importance of specialised institutions in developing the skills, technologies and innovations required to drive national development.
DICON’s inclusion further demonstrates the Fund’s commitment to supporting institutions whose mandates align with Nigeria’s strategic priorities, particularly in technical education, engineering, manufacturing and national security.
Echono said DICON will benefit from various intervention programmes covering infrastructure, information and communication technology, staff development, research and innovation. These interventions are expected to support the institute’s institutional development and enhance its capacity to deliver quality technical education.
He encouraged the management to appoint qualified desk officers to coordinate applications across the different intervention areas, prepare proposals and ensure effective implementation of projects in line with the Fund’s guidelines.
The TETFund executive secretary also highlighted the importance of DICON’s technical programmes, particularly Welding and Fabrication Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Technology, noting that developing indigenous technical expertise was essential to strengthening Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity.
“Technology has become so advanced that you can programme your entire welding scheme, and the equipment can carry out the cutting and other processes, helping you accomplish a lot within a short time”, he said.
His emphasis on modern production technologies aligns with TETFund’s broader objective of promoting technical competence, research-driven development and the application of knowledge to address national needs.
Beyond its financial interventions, the Fund is also offering DICON opportunities to participate in its research and innovation programmes. Echono expressed readiness to collaborate with the institution, particularly in defence and security research, areas with significant implications for Nigeria’s technological development.
He disclosed that DICON could nominate a qualified researcher to participate in TETFund’s national research grant and monitoring committee, which covers several thematic areas, including military and defence.
The opportunity is expected to strengthen DICON’s participation in the country’s research ecosystem and encourage collaboration between specialised technical institutions and other stakeholders in tertiary education and national development.
Echono also encouraged the institution to participate in TETFair – TETFund’s national exhibition of research, innovation and manufacturing scheduled for November. The exhibition provides a platform for showcasing research outcomes, technological breakthroughs and innovative products developed by beneficiary institutions.
DICON’s participation, he noted, would offer an opportunity to display its technical capabilities, exchange ideas with researchers and innovators, and explore partnerships that could advance indigenous manufacturing.
Earlier, Alaya said the visit was intended to brief TETFund on the progress made by DICON and seek guidance on the institution’s take-off and development following its enlistment.
He explained that DICON’s institute was established to develop the engineering and technical manpower needed to support Nigeria’s defence manufacturing industry and wider industrial growth.
“The institute was established to address Nigeria’s critical need for skilled technical manpower in manufacturing, engineering, applied sciences and allied fields,” he said.
The institution has been formally classified as a federal polytechnic, with the National Board for Technical Education approving six National Diploma programmes: Welding and Fabrication Technology, Foundry Technology, Computer Science, Science Laboratory Technology, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, and Mechatronics Engineering Technology.
With admissions open across the six programmes and an approved student capacity of about 960, the institute is positioned to contribute to the development of a new generation of skilled technicians and technologists.
Alaya said the institute had established basic facilities, including classrooms, male and female hostels, laboratories and a library. He identified modern welding simulators, computing and networking facilities, and specialised mechatronics laboratories as priorities for its next phase of development.
He added that the management would develop a phased institutional development plan with defined costs, timelines and measurable educational outcomes.
“Our objective is to build a credible institution capable of producing technically competent graduates who will contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s industrial and defence industrial development,” he said.
The enlistment of DICON further underscores TETFund’s growing role in supporting institutions that contribute to Nigeria’s development priorities. By extending its interventions to specialised technical education and defence-related research, the Fund is broadening opportunities for knowledge creation, skills development and technological innovation.
With Echono at the helm, the inclusion of the Institute adds another dimension to TETFund’s commitment to strengthening tertiary education and building the human capital required to advance Nigeria’s industrial capacity, technological self-reliance and national development.
