- TETFund provides seed funding while private developers inject additional capital
- She noted that UNILAG’s limited, difficult terrain had made hostel construction particularly expensive
- He added that CMF Gardens had extensive experience in student housing across several institutions
The Federal Government has formally commenced the construction of a new students’ hostel at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Presidential Initiative on Students’ Hostel Development, with the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, performing the groundbreaking ceremony.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the event, held at the project site on the UNILAG campus, brought together top government officials, university management, private sector partners and student representatives, marking a major step toward addressing the persistent accommodation shortage in federal universities.
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Speaking at the ceremony, Alausa described UNILAG as one of the best-managed federal universities in Nigeria, commending its leadership for what he called strong data-driven governance, transparency and effective collaboration. He said these qualities positioned the institution as a suitable beneficiary of the redesigned hostel initiative.
The minister explained that the project emerged from a review of the earlier TETFund Public-Private Partnership (PPP) hostel scheme introduced in 2024, which recorded limited participation by universities.
According to him, the Federal Government subsequently restructured the model into a Presidential Student Hostel Programme to make it more attractive and impactful.
Under the new framework, TETFund provides seed funding while private developers inject additional capital, with universities contributing land and retaining equity in the projects. At UNILAG, the initiative is expected to deliver about 1,200 bed spaces, significantly reducing accommodation pressure on the campus.
Alausa disclosed that while the project was initially structured around a ₦4 billion funding envelope, the private developer committed an additional ₦2.5 billion to ensure quality delivery, bringing the total project cost to about ₦6.5 billion. He praised the developer’s involvement as an example of patriotism and diaspora commitment to national development.
Addressing students at the event, the minister highlighted what he described as unprecedented investments in education under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the past two years recorded the highest education budget allocations in Nigeria’s history.
He said these funds were already being deployed for hostels, laboratories, medical schools, engineering workshops and innovation hubs across the country.
He further revealed that TETFund had committed hundreds of billions of naira to rehabilitating medical schools, building international-standard simulation laboratories, supporting entrepreneurship programmes and expanding student financing, stressing that no Nigerian student should be denied education due to financial constraints.
On accommodation challenges, Alausa noted that UNILAG has a student population of about 35,000 but fewer than 11,000 bed spaces, a situation he described as reflective of a nationwide problem. He insisted that the government alone could no longer shoulder the responsibility of hostel construction and urged vice-chancellors to adopt transparent and efficient public-private partnerships.
The minister also warned against bureaucratic delays within universities, stating that such bottlenecks often hinder projects aimed at improving student welfare. He praised UNILAG for its readiness and pledged full support from the ministry and TETFund, charging the developer to complete the project within 12 months.
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and TETFund for the initiative, describing accommodation as one of the university’s most pressing challenges. She noted that UNILAG’s limited land space and difficult terrain had made large-scale hostel construction particularly expensive and complex.
Ogunsola said the new hostel project would not only increase bed capacity but also deliver high-quality, future-ready facilities that would enhance the campus environment. She assured the developer of the university’s full cooperation and pledged to closely monitor the project to ensure timely completion.
Chairman of CMF Gardens Housing Limited, Dr Abiola Familusi, said the project reflected a shared commitment to investing in Nigeria’s future through education. He described the hostel as a social investment aimed at easing students’ burdens and creating an enabling environment for learning and personal development.
Familusi explained that although the standard funding structure was designed as a 1:3 ratio between TETFund and private investors, UNILAG’s unique location and soil conditions increased the project cost to ₦6.5 billion.
He added that CMF Gardens had extensive experience in student housing across several Nigerian institutions and was committed to delivering a world-class facility.
Representing the students, a Faculty of Engineering student leader, Solomon Daniel, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would provide stability and reduce one of the major challenges faced by students. He thanked the university management, the minister and project partners for prioritising student welfare.
The ceremony was attended by members of UNILAG’s management team, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, professors, deans, student leaders from various faculties, and other invited guests.
The event concluded with the symbolic turning of the sod by the Minister of Education, the Vice-Chancellor, the project developer and student representatives, formally marking the commencement of construction on the landmark hostel project.
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