FOGOCOM Hails President Tinubu for Transformative Reforms in Tertiary Education

In a development that has stirred nationwide attention within the academic community, the Forum of Governing Council Members in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions (FOGOCOM) has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it describes as unprecedented reforms reshaping the country’s higher education landscape. The forum said the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda has delivered sweeping improvements in governance, infrastructure, research funding, student welfare and institutional autonomy across federal tertiary institutions.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the commendation was delivered during a national press conference in Abuja by FOGOCOM Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Akin‑Thomas Babajide, who highlighted the administration’s interventions as “historic and unmatched in recent decades.”

Babajide told journalists that governing council members across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education had witnessed tangible progress since the inception of the Tinubu administration, ValidViewNetwork reports.

According to the forum, one of the most transformative achievements is the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has expanded access to higher education through interest‑free loans.

FOGOCOM stated that more than 1.38 million students have benefited from the scheme, with over N242 billion disbursed for tuition and upkeep , a development that has significantly reduced financial barriers for students who might otherwise have dropped out of school.

The forum also praised the Federal Government’s interventions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), including the deployment of N110 billion under the High Impact Intervention Project to rehabilitate and modernise medical schools in 18 federal and state universities. Of this amount, N70 billion was earmarked for physical infrastructure upgrades, which FOGOCOM described as a strategic response to Nigeria’s shortage of medical personnel.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Energising Education Project (EEP) was also highlighted, with 24 federal tertiary institutions already connected to solar hybrid power systems and eight more scheduled to benefit in the next phase. The forum said these reforms demonstrate the administration’s commitment to strengthening human capital development and making education a national priority, ValidViewNetwork reports.

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FOGOCOM further commended the Federal Government for restoring and strengthening governing councils, describing them as essential drivers of accountability, policy implementation and institutional stability. The forum also lauded President Tinubu for reviewing and enhancing the allowances of governing council members, saying the gesture has improved their capacity to discharge their responsibilities effectively.

As the 2027 General Elections approach, the forum pledged continued support for the Renewed Hope Agenda and called on Nigerians to sustain the momentum of reforms transforming the education sector. It appealed to the Federal Government to extend the tenure of governing councils in polytechnics and colleges of education from three to four years to ensure policy continuity and completion of ongoing projects.

And as the forum’s message reverberates across Nigeria’s academic landscape, one thing becomes clear: when reforms are matched with political will and institutional support, the nation’s education system can rise to meet its greatest challenges which is a reminder that the future of Nigeria depends on the strength of the minds it nurtures today.