• ASUU says TETFund and NELFund serve different purposes and should not be confused
• TETFund supports public tertiary institutions, while NELFund provides student loans
• ASUU warns that replacing TETFund with NELFund could deepen socioeconomic gaps and discourage low-income families from pursuing higher education

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration not to confuse the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) with the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund). According to ASUU, the two funds serve distinct purposes and should not be interchangeable.

Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Lagos Zone, emphasized that TETFund is crucial for supporting public tertiary institutions, whereas NELFund provides student loans. Odukoya warned that replacing TETFund with NELFund could have far-reaching consequences, including deepening socioeconomic gaps and discouraging low-income families from pursuing higher education.

Odukoya explained that TETFund helps raise educational quality and opportunities, indirectly benefiting communities. In contrast, NELFund promotes a culture of student debt, similar to models seen in countries like the United States. This, Odukoya argued, could exacerbate existing socioeconomic injustices, particularly for students from underserved or rural areas.

ASUU cautioned that denying TETFund its percentage of Development Levy would essentially render it obsolete. This, in turn, would force public tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees, making higher education even less accessible to low-income families.

The union appealed to the federal government to reconsider its plan and recognize the value of TETFund in supporting Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.