By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Ocholi, Member representing the North Central Zone on the Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the leadership of TETFund for their commitment to advancing tertiary education and human capital development in Nigeria.
Ocholi gave the commendation on Thursday at the 2026 TETFund North Central Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State, describing the engagement as a significant platform for strengthening dialogue, accountability and collaboration among TETFund, beneficiary institutions, governments, students, traditional rulers, host communities and other critical stakeholders in the education sector.
He particularly applauded the SGF, Senator George Akume, for his leadership and contributions to national development, noting that his support for policies and initiatives that promote education and human capital development remained critical to the advancement of the North Central Zone and Nigeria as a whole.
Ocholi also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his sustained commitment to tertiary education under the Renewed Hope Agenda, while commending Governor Ododo for hosting and supporting the North Central stakeholders’ engagement.
He equally acknowledged the contributions of the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari; Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; traditional rulers; heads of tertiary institutions and other stakeholders whose participation contributed to the success of the meeting.
The TETFund Board member highlighted the Fund’s interventions in academic staff development, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, postgraduate scholarships and critical infrastructure, noting that increasing attention was also being given to emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, coding and renewable energy.
He, however, stressed that the challenges confronting tertiary institutions went beyond physical infrastructure, calling for greater investment in modern teaching and learning facilities, research, innovation, digital technology, entrepreneurship and graduate employability.
Stakeholders at the meeting also advocated stronger collaboration between tertiary institutions and industries, increased funding for TETFund, improved accountability and transparency in the utilisation of intervention funds, as well as greater attention to the peculiar educational needs of institutions across the North Central Zone.
The meeting resolved to sustain regular stakeholder engagement and promote practical, solution-driven research capable of addressing critical challenges in agriculture, mining, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, renewable energy and security.
A communiqué containing the key resolutions of the meeting was subsequently presented to Governor Ododo, who handed it over to the Minister of Information and National Orientation for onward transmission to President Tinubu.
The stakeholders also passed votes of confidence in the SGF, Senator George Akume; Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; TETFund Board Chairman, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari; and Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, in recognition of their contributions to the development of tertiary education.
Ocholi expressed optimism that the resolutions and renewed stakeholder collaboration would further strengthen the tertiary education system and position institutions across the North Central Zone to produce the skills, knowledge, research and innovations required to drive sustainable development and national transformation.
