ABUJA, Nigeria – The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, has warned that billions of naira invested in digital infrastructure risk going to waste as many Nigerian tertiary institutions continue to underutilise technology in teaching, research, and administration.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at a two-day workshop on Blackboard/TERAS adoption, Echono lamented that despite heavy investment in platforms like the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS), many universities, polytechnics, and colleges still lag behind in embracing digital tools.
“We are no longer confined to the four walls of classrooms. With just a phone or device, students should be able to access content, participate in learning, and acquire skills. There is no alternative to technology if we must prepare our youths for the future,” Echono said.
He criticised the slow transition to digital platforms, citing instances where institutions still send hardcopy requests to TETFund despite directives for e-submissions.
He further described many universities’ websites as “embarrassingly outdated,” stressing that robust online presence should be a basic requirement in the digital age.
Echono recalled the successes during the COVID-19 lockdown when TETFund partnered broadcasters to air WAEC syllabus-based lessons, producing one of Nigeria’s best results in years.
He contrasted Nigeria’s current global education ranking—189th—with Rwanda and Mauritius, which have advanced through ICT adoption. “Government has done its part by providing infrastructure. But when platforms are created and not used, that is the very definition of waste,” he warned.
Earlier, TETFund’s Director of ICT, Joseph Odo, said the workshop aimed to deepen adoption of digital tools across institutions. “The world is moving fast technology-wise, and we cannot afford to be left behind,” he added.
