01/02/2025
Echono set to tackle power problems in institutions, 2025
The Executive Secretary , Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono will address the problem of electricity supply in the nation’s tertiary institutions head-on in 2025.
This was disclosed on Friday by him during an interview at the 34th convocation ceremonies of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.
Earlier, Arc. Echono delivered the Convocation Lecture titled “TETFund and Educational Development in Nigeria: The History, the Treasure, and the Future.”
Echono stated that President Bola Tinubu has prioritized energy solutions on Nigeria’s campuses as a key program of his administration and has directed TETFund to take action on this issue.
He revealed that a significant portion of the agency’s resources for 2025 will be allocated to providing alternative power in tertiary institutions.
“You may recall that in the recent past, many institutions have closed due to energy bills that were far beyond what could be managed,” he said. “One issue concerns the tariff structure, while the other relates to the actual demand. Our role is to intervene, and the Federal Government is addressing this through multiple sectors—from CNG to solar, and even the Rural Electrification Agency.”
“We also have legacy funds that the president has put together, and he has directed TETFund to do the same,” Echonno added. “A large portion of our resources for 2025 will go toward providing alternative power to our institutions. This process is already underway.
No government that wants education for Nigeria will scrap TETFund —OOU VC, Agboola
Expanding on his lecture, the TETFund boss emphasized the importance of investing in people through educational development.
He noted that when people are educated, they can use their knowledge to tap into and exploit their natural resources, as well as create the goods and services they need.
“As the world increasingly moves into the digital economy, Nigeria must be prepared to play a role in that field,” Echonno said. “To do this, we must invest in our people and prepare them to join the global workforce.”
He also stressed the need for institutions to become self-reliant, stating that total dependence on the government is unsustainable.
“We are helping institutions prepare and equip themselves to form partnerships, engage in entrepreneurship, and invest in ventures that will generate additional capital—such as establishing farms,” he explained. “We are encouraging them to revive their consultancy units and partner with the private sector, for example, in the provision of hostels.”
“We are doing all of this to ensure that, moving forward, our universities rank among the best in the world.”
31 January 2025
