—- Says it’s not a substitute for welfare negotiation

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The Federal Government has launched the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), designed to improve the welfare and motivation of academic and non-academic staff across Nigeria’s higher institutions.

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, at the launch which was held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) with the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmed, said the TISSF provides interest-free loans of up to ₦10 million to qualified staff of tertiary institutions.

Key stakeholders in the education and financial sectors, including the Bank of Industry (BOI) were present at the launch.

Which unveiling the scheme, Dr. Alausa, noted that the initiative, which aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is part of government efforts to enhance the welfare of education workers and strengthen the nation’s human capital base.

Alausa said that over 33,000 applications were received, out of which 9,000 staff members have been approved, representing nearly 30 percent of the total applicants.

He noted that of the initial beneficiaries, about 30 percent were academic staff, while 70 percent were non-academic, reflecting the composition of staff in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

The facility, according to him “will support housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and small-scale business needs of tertiary institution staff.

While noting that the facility was carefully structured to allow for flexible repayment terms, the Minister, said that beneficiaries would not be required to make any repayment within the first 24 months, while total repayment could extend between five to seven years.

According to him “This fund is designed to support staff welfare in practical ways — housing, healthcare, transportation, small businesses, children’s education, and other social needs.

” We know that government salaries alone are not enough, and this is an additional lifeline to help our educators live decent and productive lives.

Alausa said that “We have a President that believes so much in you and appreciates you because he knows the kind of work you’re doing in building our country. That’s why we came up with TISSF.

“Within four months, we moved from announcement to actualization, and the first batch of beneficiaries are already getting their funds. This is an interest-free loan.

“For the first 24 months, beneficiaries won’t pay back the principal, and repayment is spread across five to seven years,”

Addressing worries by some staff unions, particularly the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Minister, explained that the TISSF was not a replacement for ongoing negotiations on improved salaries and working conditions.

According to him “I saw some ASUU members say, ‘That’s not what we want.’ But this is support — an additional layer of welfare. As we continue talks with ASUU, COEASU, and other unions, the TISSF remains a parallel welfare mechanism,”

He therefore urged staff unions not to view the scheme as a substitute for ongoing welfare negotiations with government, but as an additional layer of support aimed at improving living standards in the education sector.

Alausa said the Ministry of Education is also developing complementary programs focused on training, capacity building, and staff development as part of the broader education sector reform.

The reiterated the Federal Government commitment towards revitalizing tertiary education and ensuring that Nigerian institutions compete globally through motivated and well-supported personnel.

“This is just the beginning, our goal is to build a system where every educator feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute to national development.” he said

Also, speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmed, described the TISSF as a visionary intervention aimed at stabilizing Nigeria’s tertiary education system through improved staff welfare and institutional sustainability.

Ahmed said “This fund comes at a crucial time in our national development journey. As we build a knowledge-driven economy, the strength of our tertiary education system depends on the quality and well-being of its workforce.

According to her ” Without welfare and motivation, learning becomes difficult, the TISSF is a sustainable, transparent mechanism to uplift the men and women who sustain the heart of our tertiary institutions.”

She highlighted that lecturers, researchers, technologists, and administrative staff remain the backbone of the education system, nurturing Nigeria’s human capital and upholding academic standards despite resource constraints and increasing workloads.

“We are aware of the growing pressures on our system — expanding enrolment, limited funding, and the rising cost of living. The TISSF provides a sustainable solution that supports staff capacity, motivation, and welfare in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,”

The minister commended the Bank of Industry and other partners who contributed to the design and execution of the initiative, stressing that the government views investment in educators as an investment in the nation’s future.

“Let us work together to make TISSF a transparent, sustainable, and impactful mechanism that uplifts the men and women who sustain the heart of our tertiary institutions,” she added.

In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, appreciated the Federal Government for the development in the school and appealed to the Federal Government to ensure continuous peace and stability in Nigerian universities to prevent disruptions in academic activities.

Prof Oladiji, expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for selecting FUTA as one of the beneficiaries of the $1 billion Commercial Aid Initiative, describing it as recognition of the university’s research-intensive status.

She commended the Minister for efforts toward maintaining peace within the tertiary education system but appealed for government intervention to prevent industrial actions that could lead to campus closures.

Oladiji said “Please, whatever you can do to ensure that our universities remain open, kindly assist us. The burden of implementing directives such as no work, no pay rests heavily on the Vice-Chancellors,” she said.

The Vice-Chancellor emphasized the impact of strikes on students and families, describing prolonged academic disruptions as detrimental to national development.

“As a community, we feel the pain more seeing our children at home doing nothing — it’s like generations wasting away,” she added.

Oladiji also called the attention of the Minister to the university’s young medical school, seeking further support to strengthen and equip the facility for better service delivery.