Otamere Gladness 
ABUJA, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu has called for urgent, collective action to confront the deepening funding crisis in tertiary education, warning that the government alone cannot sustain the growing financial demands of universities.
The President made the call on Saturday during the 36th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), where 1,030 postgraduate students received degrees.
Represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, Tinubu said the country must “rethink the long-standing model of absolute dependence on government funding” and adopt sustainable, multi-stakeholder financing frameworks that align with global best practice.
He noted that effective partnerships between universities, industry, the private sector, alumni, government agencies, and donor communities are critical to building a resilient higher education system.
“Funding public universities is a shared responsibility worldwide,” he said, stressing the need for industry-ready research that directly responds to national development challenges.
“You have been prepared for the competitive labour market. Apply your scientific skills, entrepreneurial capacity, ICT competence, and agricultural potential to create opportunities and contribute meaningfully to national progress,” he said.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Chukwu Obinna 
Oluwatobi Adu 