FG Pushes Alumni Funding to Sustain Nigerian Universities

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to make Nigerian universities more financially sustainable by encouraging institutions to strengthen alumni engagement and diversify their funding sources through the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP).

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the initiative is designed to help universities build stronger partnerships, improve financial resilience and enhance their global competitiveness without replacing government support for higher education.

Alausa stated this in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medical Sciences (STEMM) and Corporate Sector Engagement, Dr Adetola Salau, at the closing ceremony of the National University Advancement Programme training for university officials.

According to a statement signed on Thursday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the minister described the programme as more than a capacity-building exercise, saying it represents a renewed national commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s universities for long-term growth.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting higher education but stressed that universities must also strengthen their internal systems, build strategic partnerships and cultivate stronger relationships with their alumni to unlock new opportunities for research, innovation, scholarships and infrastructure development.

“The National University Advancement Programme is not intended to replace government support for higher education. Rather, it complements existing investments by creating additional pathways for sustainability, innovation, research support, scholarships and long-term institutional growth,” Alausa said.

The minister explained that NUAP was established through a partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) and the Africa Finance Corporation to institutionalise professionally managed Advancement Offices across federal universities and inter-university centres.

According to him, the offices will coordinate alumni engagement, donor relations, endowment management, strategic communications, fundraising and institutional partnerships, enabling universities to strengthen their financial base, expand research opportunities and improve their international profile.

Alausa said Nigerian universities possess one of their greatest untapped assets in their alumni, many of whom have distinguished themselves in business, science, medicine, technology, entrepreneurship and public service both within and outside the country.

“When universities maintain strong relationships with their alumni, research receives greater support, students gain access to scholarships and mentorship opportunities, institutions build stronger partnerships, infrastructure improves and innovation expands,” he said.

He added that the Federal Government’s vision is to build universities that are financially stronger, capable of long-term planning, driven by vibrant research ecosystems and globally competitive while remaining responsive to Nigeria’s development priorities.

The minister urged participants to return to their institutions and implement the knowledge acquired during the training by establishing systems that promote accountability, strengthen institutional trust and improve governance and the overall student experience.

He also reaffirmed that the education reform agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains focused on strengthening institutions, expanding access to quality education and positioning the sector as a catalyst for national development.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF), Wale Adeosun, urged universities to prioritise alumni engagement and institutional advancement as sustainable sources of revenue.

He said universities should establish endowment funds supported by alumni contributions to provide long-term financing for infrastructure, scholarships, research and improved teaching facilities.

According to Adeosun, diversified revenue streams would enable institutions to become more financially self-sustaining while reducing dependence on government funding.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Technical Working Committee of the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation, Claire Jemide, described the Foundation as a strategic partner committed to strengthening Nigeria’s higher education system through investment in people, institutions and collaborative partnerships.

She said the Foundation’s interventions have evolved from supporting exceptional students through its Scholars Programme to strengthening faculty development, healthcare leadership, university governance and institutional transformation.

Jemide noted that the University Advancement Programme, launched following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education in January 2026, is equipping universities with the knowledge, systems and strategies needed to strengthen alumni engagement, fundraising, communications and long-term institutional advancement.

The National University Advancement Programme brought together vice-chancellors, university administrators, advancement officers and senior officials from federal universities and inter-university centres for intensive training on global best practices in institutional advancement, donor stewardship, alumni relations and sustainable university development.