Tinubu Urges Education Unions To Co-Create Sustainable Funding Model

President Bola Tinubu has called on education unions to partner with the government in crafting a sustainable funding model that reflects local realities while aligning with global best practices.

Tinubu made the call at the 77th Foundation Day and 2025 Convocation ceremonies of the University of Ibadan (UI), in Ibadan on Monday.

Tinubu, represented by Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), said his administration acknowledged the persistent efforts of university unions on the importance of increasing education investment.

He, however, noted that the challenges were surmountable provided all hands were on deck.

“Since the inception of my administration, we have taken deliberate steps to minimise crises stemming from non-implementation of agreements between the government and various university unions.

“This administration places a high premium on quality education and is firmly committed to providing our youth with the sound education they need to navigate and shape the future.

“To this extent, let me appreciate the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other staff unions for the level of understanding shown so far as we jointly proffer lasting solutions to the numerous challenges facing universities in our dear nation,” said the president.

Tinubu stated that it would be unrealistic to allocate all the national resources solely to the education sector, adding that his administration had consistently sought innovative ways to increase education funding.

“Our tertiary institutions, in particular, have been the primary beneficiaries of these efforts through enhanced support to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND),” he said.

According to him, any university that fails to make meaningful contributions to national and global development is not fulfilling its core mandate.

Tinubu challenged Nigerian universities to conduct a thorough self-assessment to ascertain if they were meeting national and global community expectations.

“How effectively are we equipping students to become agents of change? The president queried.

He, however, congratulated UI as it celebrated another milestone, while charging the graduands to embrace curiosity and change.

“Be bold in your pursuit of excellence and unwavering in your commitment to impact the world positively.

“We eagerly await the great contributions you will make to our world,” Tinubu said.

In his address, UI Chancellor, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, noted the challenges posed by insufficient funding.

“Our prayer is that the economic fortunes of Nigeria will improve to enable the implementation of the sound policies of this administration,” Abubakar said.

He commended the postgraduate students for their hard work, dedication and excellence in their study and research.

This, he said, had earned them well-deserved successes.

The Pro-Chancellor, UI, Chief Bisi Akande, underscored the need to remove bureaucracies and bottlenecks that impede the smooth operations of UI and, by extension, other Nigerian universities.

Akande described the bureaucratic rigmarole and over-centralisation as interferences muddling up the administration of UI and responsible for setbacks in the education sector.

“May we suggest that, if it becomes necessary, the various establishment laws of the various universities be reviewed in line with global practices and be strictly adhered to henceforth with a view to arresting the untold chaos that may eventually otherwise occur,” he said.

The pro-chancellor called for a reaffirmation of commitment to UI’s core values of integrity, respect and excellence.

The Vice-Chancellor (VC), UI, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, who announced the event as the last he would preside over as the VC, appreciated everyone who had supported his tenure.

Adebowale noted the institution’s various achievements while identifying electricity and security as some of its challenges.

He noted that 487 candidates from various disciplines were awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree, with candidates from Education and Arts topping the list with 137 and 72 graduates, respectively.

The VC said the UI Senate has approved the creation of two additional faculties: the Faculty of Nursing and the Faculty of Computing.

“Also, approval was given for the Department of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering in the Faculty of Technology.

“The university also presented and got NUC approval to start B.Sc Social Work; B.Ed Educational Technology; B.Sc/Ed Computer Science and B.Eng Biomedical Engineering in the 2025/2026 session,” Adebowale said.

The honorary degrees were awarded to Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, a businessman and banker and Dr Adesola Adeduntan, a former Chief Executive Officer, First Bank Nigeria.