The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s tertiary education sector by calling on eligible private institutions to join the Tertiary Education Research and Application Service (TERAS), a national digital platform aimed at strengthening teaching, learning, research and institutional efficiency.
In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, said the move forms part of ongoing efforts to reinforce Nigeria’s education ecosystem through strategic public–private collaboration. He stressed that sustainable progress in education requires collective responsibility and inclusive partnerships between government and private sector stakeholders.
Alausa explained that the expansion of TERAS, implemented in partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), marks a major milestone in the country’s digital education reform agenda. Although the platform has traditionally served public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, eligible private institutions are now being encouraged to formally partner with TETFund and access the same premium digital services deployed at national scale.
According to the minister, TERAS offers a unified national digital infrastructure with structured onboarding, reliable connectivity services, cost efficiency, standardised quality assurance systems and data-driven decision-making tools. He noted that these features are essential to improving institutional performance and ensuring Nigerian tertiary institutions remain competitive locally and globally.
He added that the inclusion of private tertiary institutions aligns with the Federal Government’s broader vision of building a unified, inclusive and resilient higher education ecosystem in line with global best practices. Collective engagement through TERAS, he said, would strengthen collaboration across the sector, enhance bargaining power and accelerate the development of a shared digital future for tertiary education in Nigeria.
The minister therefore urged interested private universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to formally indicate their interest and engage with TETFund through the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, emphasising that inclusivity and collaboration remain central to sustainable educational advancement.
The Ministry of Education reaffirmed that the initiative is in line with the education agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises access to quality and inclusive education while positioning Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for global relevance in learning, research and innovation to support national development.
