Private universities deserve TETFund support, Baze varsity VC tells FG

Private universities in Nigeria should receive greater financial and institutional support from the Federal Government, according to Prof. Abiodun Gabriel Adeniyi, Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja. He emphasized that these institutions are crucial contributors to Nigeria's human capital development and should be viewed as essential partners in the nation's tertiary education landscape, rather than solely as profit-driven entities.

Professor Adeniyi highlighted the immense financial responsibilities shouldered by private universities. These include the costs associated with recruiting qualified academics, developing and maintaining infrastructure, providing essential utilities, sustaining diverse academic programs, and meeting stringent regulatory requirements, all without direct government funding. "Anybody who thinks it is a profit-making organisation is just making a mistake," he stated, underscoring the difficulty of managing these extensive operational costs.

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Anybody who thinks it is a profit-making organisation is just making a mistake. Look at what it entails to hire staff, buy facilities, provide utilities and execute huge capital-intensive projects. It is difficult.

He further argued that the ultimate beneficiaries of education from both public and private universities are Nigerians, as graduates from all sectors enter the same labor market and contribute to the national economy. Therefore, Adeniyi appealed to the Federal Government to expand its intervention programs, such as those managed by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), to include private universities. "We are all citizens of this country. I don’t mind if TETFund wants to support us," he said, while acknowledging recent initiatives by TETFund that have opened some research opportunities for private institutions.

Adeniyi stressed the need for more deliberate interventions to bolster the capacity of private universities. This support is essential for them to provide quality education, conduct meaningful research, and ensure long-term financial sustainability. Baze University, established approximately 15 years ago by Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, serves as an example of such an institution committed to redefining tertiary education in Nigeria and aiming for global competitiveness, despite operating without direct government funding.

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We are all citizens of this country. I don’t mind if TETFund wants to support us.