The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, has raised concerns that billions of naira already invested in digital infrastructure across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions risk being wasted if schools fail to fully adopt and utilise the technology provided.
Echono issued the warning on Monday in Abuja during the opening of a two-day workshop on the adoption and usage of Blackboard/Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) in beneficiary institutions.
The workshop, organised by TETFund, brought together registrars, bursars, ICT directors, academic planners, and thesis repository managers from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country.
According to Echono, TETFund has invested heavily in modern learning platforms, ICT infrastructure, and digital tools to transform Nigeria’s higher education sector and align it with global best practices. However, he cautioned that unless institutions embrace these innovations and integrate them into teaching, research, and administration, the massive investments will fail to deliver their intended impact.
“Technology is no longer optional in education. It is at the heart of modern learning and research. If our institutions continue to operate with outdated practices, then the billions of naira invested in these facilities will simply not achieve their purpose,” Echono said.
He urged tertiary institutions to drive adoption of digital tools, not only to enhance the quality of instruction but also to expand access, improve research output, and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.
The workshop aims to build capacity among key academic and administrative officers, ensuring that digital resources provided by TETFund are fully integrated into the daily operations of tertiary institutions.
Education analysts say the warning underscores a persistent challenge in Nigeria’s education system, where infrastructure upgrades often fail to deliver results due to poor implementation, limited training, or resistance to change.
