Tunji Alausa
By Olamilekan Abayomi
The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of funds under the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), designed to strengthen staff welfare, institutional productivity, and innovation across Nigeria’s tertiary education system. Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the welfare initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The programme has transitioned from planning to full implementation, with more than 9,000 staff of tertiary institutions receiving payments in the first year. This represents 28% of the 33,000 verified applicants drawn from 219 federal and state tertiary institutions across the federation. The first phase of disbursement covered both academic and non-academic personnel in a 30:70 ratio, reflecting the government’s inclusive approach to supporting all categories of staff in the nation’s higher education institutions.
Under the scheme, eligible staff can access up to N10 million in concessionary zero-interest loans to tackle essential livelihood and productivity needs, including housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and small business ventures. Alausa emphasized that the initiative goes beyond financial assistance, describing it as an investment in the nation’s knowledge economy. “This fund is not merely about disbursement; it is about restoring dignity, rewarding dedication, and rebuilding the foundation of our knowledge economy,” he said.
The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to transparency, pledging quarterly financial reporting, institutional engagement, and robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure that all funds were effectively utilised and repaid to expand access for more beneficiaries in the future. The TISSF is a critical component of the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) framework, strategically designed to improve the welfare, morale, and performance of tertiary institution staff while reinforcing the institutions as centres of excellence, innovation, and knowledge creation.
Alausa commended the leadership and vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating, “The President is delivering for our tertiary institutions – for welfare, for productivity, and for the future. Within just four months, payments have started going out. This is a President that delivers, and the Ministry of Education is profoundly grateful for his continuous support and commitment to staff welfare.”
The Federal Ministry of Education has reaffirmed its commitment to transparent fund management, quarterly financial reporting, and continuous engagement with participating institutions to ensure that every naira disbursed translates into improved welfare, motivation, and institutional performance as well as repayments to ensure more members of our tertiary institutions can benefit from the initiative.
