A joint delegation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) conducted a comprehensive assessment and verification exercise at the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna) on Monday, August 25. The visit was aimed at evaluating the university’s readiness to participate in the local component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) Intervention.
The exercise, held at the institution’s Academic Publishing Centre on the Main Campus, is part of a national shift in policy to prioritize Nigerian universities for the postgraduate training of academic staff.
Speaking for the delegation, the team lead, Mrs. Simi Sofia Gwam of the NUC, outlined the purpose of the visit. She explained that TETFund is strategically pivoting towards domestic scholarships in line with the new TSAS policy. Mrs. Gwam noted that with FUT Minna having already submitted an expression of interest, the team’s objective was to verify the institution’s capacity.
“This is more of a compliance check, but at the same time we must ensure that your resources, facilities, and staff strength are adequate to deliver quality postgraduate education under the initiative,” Gwam stated, describing the process as a “collaborative engagement.”
In his response, the Vice-Chancellor of FUT Minna, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, expressed strong support for the initiative, calling it a “laudable” development that universities and academic unions have long advocated for. He emphasized that the programme would validate and showcase the high level of expertise available within the Nigerian university system.
“There is no need to commit huge funds to foreign scholarships when we have the expertise, standard curriculum, and capacity here at home,” the Vice-Chancellor remarked.
Prof. Kuta assured the joint team of the university’s complete preparedness and maximum cooperation, pledging to promptly address any potential gaps identified during the verification process.
The TETFund delegation was represented by Mr. Musa Mustapha Junaidu. The outcome of this assessment will be crucial in determining the role FUT Minna will play in the nationwide implementation of the new local scholarship scheme.
