Education
FX Crisis: TETFund Mulls Suspension of Foreign Scholarships
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has revealed that consultations are ongoing to suspend foreign scholarships as a result of the current FX crisis in the country.
The Naira has performed badly at the foreign exchange (forex) market lately, particularly after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) floated the local currency, allowing market forces to determine its value.
Since this move last month, some students studying abroad have found it difficult to access FX because of its high rate.
The Executive Secretary of the fund, Mr Sonny Echono, at a public hearing on alleged missing N2.3 trillion in TETFund between 2011 to date, organised by an Ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives, said the tax accruable to the fund is generated by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the fund’s account is domiciled in the CBN.
Mr Echono said that some of the tax comes in foreign currencies to CBN, but when it is time to pay fees for scholars abroad, the apex bank insists TETFund source forex from other channels, making the fund lose value due to the disparity of the rates.
According to him, “We operate a system where our forex is being sold on our behalf at the official rate, and we apply like anybody else to get it, sometimes it leads to additional cost.”
He urged the committee to intervene and compel CBN to allow TETFund access to its forex to pay fees as and when due.
“Currently, as I speak, we are in consultations with all our stakeholders to suspend, for a year or two, foreign training.
“This is because of the recent exchange rate adjustments; we are unable to continue based on our disbursement guideline; the money we allocated in naira cannot cover the dollar requirement for training.
“Those who are currently there, we now need more naira to pay for the dollar that is required for their annual fees,” he said.
Mr Echono said that the fund had l identified courses where Nigerian universities have the competence and the right quality of faculty to run.
He said that the fund had earlier decided that only limited curses “where we do not have the capacity in our institutions will qualify for foreign sponsorship.”
The executive secretary announced that most training will now be done locally through experienced, first-generation universities as well in collaboration with other specialised universities here in Nigeria.
This, he said, will allow the fund to retain revenue to cope with the volatile exchange rate, which is now at the mercy of market forces.
Mr Echono raised worries that no fewer than 137 sponsored scholars have absconded from 40 institutions abroad.
He said that some scholars who are sent for foreign training to acquire higher qualifications have refused to return to Nigeria to serve.
He said that TETFund was working with other stakeholders on stringent measures to ensure this sharp practice is ended. One of which is the signing of a bond agreement.
“The scholar undertakes that you will come back, it is required that you have a guarantor, and in many cases, the guarantor has suffered undue hardship because when you disappear, we hold the guarantor to pay all the money expended on your behalf, but that has not been effective.
“We believe that in a system where we work with our embassies and the institutions, we can enforce the repayment for those who insist they will not come back.
“If they don’t, we will declare them persona non grata. We will write to the embassies, and they will make it available to those countries, and they will not be able to get jobs; they will be seen as fugitives of law from their countries,” he said.
Mr Echono called for the review of existing regulations to ensure that those who benefit from the TETFund programme must come back.
According to him, we are not against people looking for greener pastures but do so on your own, not our scholarship or through our sponsorship.
On the alleged missing N2.3 trillion, Mr Echono said that the revenue accrued to the fund within the period stood at N2.47 trillion.
He said that between 2011 to date, a total of N371.3 billion was borrowed by the Federal Government, and only N48 billion had been repaid.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to 21 state-owned universities over alleged failure to implement key provisions of the 2025 agreement reached with the federal government.
The union warned that the affected universities could be heading for industrial action if their respective authorities fail to resolve the outstanding issues within the two-week window.
The ultimatum was one of the major resolutions reached at ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja recently.
In a statement signed by ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, the union expressed concern over what it described as the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, accusing relevant authorities of displaying a lackadaisical attitude towards its implementation.
ASUU said the problem was particularly pronounced in several state universities, where university visitors had allegedly failed to implement the agreement, leaving affected branches with little option but to seek NEC’s approval to commence the process for industrial action.
Consequently, NEC authorised the affected branches to issue 14-day ultimatums to their university authorities, after which strike procedures would commence if the issues remained unresolved.
The universities affected include Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Abia State University, Uturu; and University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa.
Others are Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; Kaduna State University; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Northwest University, Kano; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University, Owerri; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa; and Taraba State University, Jalingo.
According to the union, the 14-day ultimatum is a precondition for the affected branches to begin formal procedures for industrial action.
ASUU said branches in the Sokoto Zone had already issued a similar two-week ultimatum, while NEC would reconvene in an emergency session at the end of August or early September to assess developments and determine the union’s next line of action.
The union also revived its “No-pay-No-work” position, directing branches in federal universities where salaries had been withheld or underpaid to take appropriate action.
It specifically cited affected universities, including universities of agriculture, where members had allegedly received incomplete salaries.
Beyond the salary and agreement implementation disputes, ASUU maintained its opposition to the National Education Repository Databank (NERD), insisting that unresolved questions surrounding its hosting arrangements and intellectual property rights must first be addressed.
The union also waded into the country’s political process, urging its members to participate actively in politics and approving the establishment of an ASUU Independent Monitoring Group.
The group, according to the union, will monitor and observe elections across the country.
Meanwhile, growing insecurity within university campuses also featured prominently in the NEC deliberations.
ASUU expressed concern over attacks and other security incidents that had claimed the lives of members, directing affected branches to engage the police and other relevant security agencies in pursuing justice for victims.
Branches were also mandated to document cases of insecurity and present comprehensive records to the union’s NEC for further action.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
