The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening academic scholarship and improving access to quality learning materials in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions with the unveiling of eighty-two academic textbooks supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Speaking at the public presentation held at the TETFund Auditorium in Abuja, Dr. Alausa described the unveiling of seventy-two textbooks produced under the TETFund Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project, alongside ten additional titles secured by the Fund, as a major milestone in the ongoing effort to reposition Nigeria’s higher education system through locally generated knowledge.
According to the Minister, the development of indigenous academic textbooks remains critical to addressing the long-standing shortage of locally authored learning materials in Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. He explained that the country’s heavy dependence on foreign textbooks has not only placed pressure on foreign exchange but has also limited opportunities for Nigerian scholars to contribute their intellectual output to global knowledge.
Dr. Alausa stated that the Higher Education Book Development Intervention, supported by the Technical Advisory Group established in 2009, was designed to encourage Nigerian academics to produce high-quality scholarly textbooks across various disciplines. He added that the initiative also supports professional association journals and academic publishing centres in tertiary institutions.
The Minister commended TETFund, the authors, publishers, and members of the Technical Advisory Group for their dedication to strengthening academic publishing in Nigeria. He also acknowledged the continued support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for education sector reforms, noting that the administration remains committed to policies and programmes that promote research, innovation, and knowledge development.
In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Mr. Sonny Echono, said the eighty-two titles presented at the event consist of seventy-two textbooks authored by Nigerian scholars under the Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project and ten additional titles secured by the Fund for beneficiary institutions. He explained that the initiative was introduced to address the persistent shortage of quality tertiary-level textbooks in Nigeria and to strengthen locally produced academic resources for teaching, learning, and research.
Mr. Echono noted that since the revitalisation of the programme in 2022, TETFund has significantly accelerated book production, bringing the total number of published titles under the intervention to two hundred and two, with more than four hundred thousand copies set for distribution to tertiary institutions across the country. He added that the Fund has also reviewed the operational framework of the programme to ensure better value for resources, with authors now receiving monetary honoraria based on the size and content of their books, alongside complimentary copies.
The Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Right Honourable Aminu Bello Masari, described the presentation of the textbooks as a significant milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s intellectual and academic development. He noted that scholarly publications remain one of the most enduring means through which knowledge is preserved and transmitted across generations, while encouraging the wider use of digital platforms to make academic resources more accessible.
The Chairman of the Technical Advisory Group, Professor Albert Abegunde, commended the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Education and the TETFund Board for their continued support for academic publishing. He noted that the textbooks unveiled cut across several disciplines, including pharmacy, arts, literature, law, engineering, agriculture, environmental studies, economics, and education. He further disclosed that over forty additional manuscripts have already been cleared for publication, while more than sixty others are currently undergoing peer review.
In his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Bugaje, congratulated TETFund and the authors on the achievement and commended the Federal Government’s continued investment in the education sector. He encouraged further digitisation of the textbooks and suggested that sections could also be converted into video-based instructional materials to support flexible and blended learning across Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Professor Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, the Director of ICT at the Commission, Dr. Pius Ekulogu, said the unveiling of the textbooks represents a major contribution to strengthening teaching and learning materials, particularly within Nigeria’s teacher education system. He noted that the initiative complements ongoing efforts to deepen research culture and academic publishing in colleges of education.
The President of ASUU, Chris Piwuna, raised concerns that although universities have received substantial funding in recent years, some vice-chancellors have allegedly mismanaged or diverted funds meant for institutional development. He noted that certain institutions have not effectively utilised TETFund allocations, while others have used them for purposes other than those intended. Piwuna said the union would soon “turn its searchlights” on vice-chancellors and universities to ensure accountability for funds allocated to them.
Also speaking, the President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr. Arcmen Lawal, emphasised that educational materials remain fundamental to human development and encouraged the Fund to explore global digital platforms that would give Nigerian authors wider international visibility.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to working with TETFund, regulatory agencies, and tertiary institutions to continue promoting indigenous scholarship, strengthening academic publishing, and ensuring that Nigerian students and researchers have access to high-quality and locally relevant learning materials that support national development and global competitiveness.
BORIOWO FOLASADE
Director, Press and Public Relations
