- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has secured the support of the Federal Government to investigate Vice-Chancellors of public universities accused of mismanaging and embezzling Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations.
- ASUU President Chris Piwuna raised an alarm over the “imperial” leadership styles of some university heads, alleging that funds meant for research and infrastructure are being diverted for personal use.
- Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has pledged to collaborate with the union to ensure fiduciary accountability, vowing that every naira deployed to tertiary institutions must be accounted for.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government have formed a strategic alliance to investigate widespread allegations of corruption among Vice-Chancellors.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the probe centers on the mismanagement of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which provides critical billions for infrastructure, research, and academic development.
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Speaking at a public presentation of 72 TETFund-sponsored academic textbooks in Abuja on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, ASUU President Chris Piwuna lamented the state of many public institutions.
He argued that despite substantial increases in government disbursements in recent years, many Vice-Chancellors have failed to utilize the funds effectively, with some treating the allocations as personal windfalls.
“Yes, there is plenty of money being given to the universities in recent years. Sadly, many of them have not utilized it effectively,” Piwuna stated.
“Some have mismanaged it; others have used it for different purposes than what they were meant for. We are going to turn our searchlights on the VCs and our universities soon to make sure they account for every kobo.”
Piwuna specifically pointed toward the “Centres of Excellence” established across various institutions, noting that most are currently performing far below expectations despite receiving dedicated funding.
He emphasized that the cycle of waste must end, especially as administrators often expect fresh disbursements the following year without justifying previous expenditures.
Responding to these heavy allegations, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, expressed his full backing for the union’s planned scrutiny.
He criticized the governance structure in many public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, noting that several Rectors, Provosts, and Vice-Chancellors are running their institutions like “empires” with little to no accountability.
“We need your help in ensuring that fiduciary responsibilities are met and that they are held accountable,” Alausa told the ASUU leadership.
“Every single money that we deploy to those institutions should be used the way they are meant to be used. We will work with you to ensure that that’s being done.”
TETFund, established under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act 2011, is funded by a two percent education tax on registered companies in Nigeria.
While it has historically been the primary source for building lecture theaters and funding staff training, the agency has faced growing calls for stricter oversight to prevent institutional heads from siphoning funds through inflated contracts or ghost projects.
This joint probe is expected to begin with a forensic audit of project implementations across the most heavily funded institutions, signaling a new era of tension between the national union and university administrators.
