The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commissioned two landmark projects worth N4.089 billion at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger state, as part of its 2023 special high impact and 2020/2021 merged interventions.
The projects, including the remodelled university senate building and the faculty of law complex, were executed at costs of N1.58 billion and N2.50 billion, respectively.
Speaking during the commissioning on Thursday, Aminu Bello Masari, chairman of TETFund’s board of trustees (BoT), said the fund had so far allocated N15.25 billion for infrastructure-related projects at IBB University since 2011, with N13.04 billion already accessed.
Masari commended the university’s prudent use of resources, stressing that the completed projects will enhance teaching, research, and community service.
“We are convinced that the projects undertaken with these funds will continually impact the university’s mandate in facilitating teaching, learning, research, and community service,” he said.
The former Katsina state governor and ex-Speaker of the house of representatives also praised Umar Bago’s administration for its visible commitment to education, which he described as a key enabler of the university’s growth.
Masari said the newly inaugurated projects reflect TETFund’s alignment with the Federal Government’s vision of modernizing tertiary institutions through investments in sustainable energy, medical training, and ICT infrastructure.
He lamented the suspension of foreign training for lecturers due to rising foreign exchange rates and cases of abscondment but assured that local capacity-building would now take priority.
“We urge the university to ensure proper maintenance of these facilities. For our part, TETFund will sustain impactful interventions to make Nigerian institutions globally competitive,” Masari stated.
‘A MILESTONE FOR NIGERIAN HIGHER EDUCATION’
Sonny Echono, the executive secretary of TETFund, represented by Babatunde Olajide, the director of monitoring and evaluation, described the projects as milestones in advancing Nigeria’s higher education.
“These edifices are not just structures of brick and mortar; they are symbols of progress, opportunity, and the future we envision for our youth and our nation,” he said.
Echono commended IBBU management and the Niger state government for transparency and collaboration, urging stakeholders to safeguard the new facilities and use them to drive innovation and service delivery.
Umar Bago, governor of Niger state, represented by his deputy, Yakubu Garba, hailed the projects as “factories for justice and leadership,” describing the new faculty of law complex as one of the largest in West Africa, with over 100 offices, a standard moot court, an e-library, and disability-inclusive features.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding tertiary education access through projects such as the IBB University Teaching Hospital, Abdulkadir University, Minna, and the University of Agriculture and Climate Change.
“Education remains the foundation upon which we build a prosperous and self-reliant Niger state,” Bago said.
Mohammed Suleiman, IBBU vice-chancellor, expressed appreciation to TETFund and the state government, describing the projects as “a national investment in the future of higher education.”
He disclosed that the Abdulkadir Kure senate building comprises 70 offices, a 200-seat Senate Chamber, a 50-seat Council Chamber, and a 96,000-litre water reservoir.
The faculty of law complex includes 106 offices, lecture theatres, boardrooms, an e-library, and a 450-seat moot court.
Suleiman appealed for further TETFund support to build a major student hostel, pledging transparency and accountability in fund management.
“This commissioning marks a milestone in IBBU’s history and a testament to what focused investment in education can achieve,” he said.
