The Federal Ministry of Education has begun disbursing funds under the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund, a key initiative of the Renewed Hope Agenda designed to strengthen staff welfare, institutional productivity and innovation across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
The program, launched in August 2025 after a series of stakeholder engagements, has now progressed fully into implementation, with more than nine thousand staff receiving support in the first year. This figure represents twenty-eight per cent of the thirty-three thousand verified applicants drawn from two hundred and nineteen federal and state tertiary institutions nationwide.
The beneficiary pool reflects a thirty to seventy ratio of academic to non-academic staff, an intentional approach the Ministry said demonstrates its commitment to inclusive support for all categories of personnel across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Speaking on the milestone, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as decisive leadership and a strong focus on staff welfare. He noted that the President’s commitment ensured that disbursements began within four months of the program’s rollout, adding that the Ministry remains grateful for sustained support and investment in the sector.
The TISSF forms a central pillar of the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, which aims to strengthen the welfare, morale and effectiveness of staff while positioning tertiary institutions as hubs of excellence, innovation and knowledge creation. The fund provides concessionary zero-interest loans and welfare packages of up to ten million naira per staff member to help address living and productivity challenges such as housing, healthcare, education, mobility and small business support.
Dr Alausa emphasized that the program is not only about financial support but about restoring dignity, rewarding dedication and rebuilding the structure that underpins Nigeria’s knowledge economy.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, quarterly financial reporting and continuous engagement with all participating institutions to ensure that funds are properly utilized and that repayments enable the program to reach even more beneficiaries across the country.
