FG demands varsities’ annual budgets
In a move to entrench transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria’s tertiary education system, the Federal Government has directed all Vice- Chancellors, rectors and provosts of federal institutions to publish key institutional data on their official websites with immediate effect.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, in a memo addressed to public higher institutions in the country, said the directive was to ensure that Nigeria’s higher education management aligns with global best practices.
The memo obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, read partly, “Each institution must provide its annual budgetary allocation in full detail including the breakdown of expenditure across three core areas: personnel cost overhead costs and capital expenditure. In addition, institutions are to disclose their Research Grant Revenue from the previous year.
“This data should be separated into two distinct sources: grants obtained from domestic bodies such as local industries, government agencies, or foundations; and those received from international sources, including foreign institutions, multilateral organizations, and development partners.
“Also to be displayed is the TETFund Allocation for the current year. The Institutions must clearly show the total amount received from the TETFund, reflecting financial support for academic and infrastructural development in the present calendar year. The directive further mandates that institutions to publish the total value of their Endowment Fund as recorded at the end of the previous year. This figure, which reflects funds donated or invested for the institution’s long-term financial health, must be updated quarterly to ensure currency and transparency.”
The memo added that the institutions are to present their current Total Student Population which must be categorised into undergraduate and postgraduate levels, thereby providing a clear picture of enrolment and institutional capacity.
“The Ministry emphasizes that this information must be presented in a clear, accessible, and user-friendly format for public visibility. Websites should be structured in a way that allows the public, including parents, students, and stakeholders, to easily locate and understand these data points.
“All federal institutions are expected to comply fully with this directive and ensure that their websites are completely updated no later than May 31, 2025,” it added.
To ensure adherence, the Federal Ministry of Education will conduct periodic reviews of institutional websites and take appropriate administrative actions against non-compliant institutions.
