The Federal Government has invited eligible private tertiary institutions to participate in the Tertiary Education Research and Application Service (TERAS), a national digital platform aimed at strengthening teaching, learning, research, innovation, and institutional efficiency across Nigeria’s higher education sector.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, made the call as part of ongoing efforts to deepen digital transformation and foster public–private collaboration in Nigeria’s education ecosystem.
Dr. Alausa stressed that sustainable progress in tertiary education requires inclusive partnerships between government and private sector stakeholders, noting that digital reform must be approached as a collective national responsibility.
He explained that the expansion of TERAS—implemented in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)—represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s digital education reform agenda. While the platform has traditionally served public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, eligible private institutions are now being invited to formally partner with TETFund and access the same premium digital services deployed at national scale.
According to the Minister, TERAS functions as a unified national digital infrastructure, offering structured onboarding, reliable connectivity services, cost efficiency, standardised quality assurance frameworks, and data-driven decision-making tools. These features, he said, are essential for improving institutional performance and enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigerian tertiary institutions.
He noted that the inclusion of private tertiary institutions aligns with the Federal Government’s broader vision of building a unified, inclusive, and resilient higher education system that meets global best practices. Collective participation through TERAS, he added, would strengthen collaboration, increase bargaining power, and accelerate the development of a shared digital future for tertiary education in Nigeria.
Dr. Alausa therefore urged interested private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to formally express their interest and engage with TETFund through the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
The Ministry of Education reaffirmed that the initiative is in line with the education agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritises access to quality and inclusive education while positioning Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for global relevance in learning, research, and innovation to support national development.
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