TETFUND: Is Arc. Echono Really Working The Talk?

Victor-Marie Hugo, a French poet, novelist, and essayist died more than two centuries ago but there still stands some immortal and memorial thoughts he blessed the world with before his demise in 1885 when he once averred: “There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.”
Hugo’s thoughts bear striking parallelism to the fecundity of fresh ideas, vision, and drives which Architect Sonny Echono the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education TrustFund (TetFund) has brought to refashion and transform Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Fund

TETFund has emerged as a pivotal force in Nigeria’s educational landscape, making substantial contributions towards uplifting the quality of higher education, especially in the areas of infrastructure and fostering innovation.

With a historic funding allocation of over N1.6 trillion, in the year 2025, the agency marked a turning point in addressing long-standing gaps in infrastructure, research capacity and student support across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education nationwide.
More than just impressive figures, the interventions began to reshape the future of learning, research and workforce readiness in Nigeria.

The flagship programmes such as Research for Impact (R4i) and the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) gained momentum. Their objective was clear: to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application.
Through these initiatives, prototypes in healthcare, agriculture, energy and digital technology moved closer to commercialisation, strengthening links between universities, industry and society.
Digital transformation formed a central pillar of TETFund’s reform agenda in 2025 under the leadership of its Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono.

Early in the year, the agency rolled out the Tertiary Education Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform. TERAS emerged as a unified digital infrastructure offering cloud hosting, learning management systems, digital libraries, research tools and mobile data services. By year’s end, it had become a backbone for teaching, learning and research across the tertiary education system.

Internally, TETFund also digitalised its processes, improving project monitoring, fund tracking and service delivery. This reform enhanced transparency and accountability, ensuring that allocations were traceable and utilisation closely monitored.

Capacity building accompanied digital infrastructure. Over 20,000 lecturers benefited from large-scale ICT skills training through internationally recognised certification programmes. More than 2,000 scholars underwent advanced training in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies via the Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education. These efforts complemented ongoing postgraduate sponsorships, conference support and professional development initiatives for academic staff.
Another milestone in 2025 was the establishment of 72 specialised ICT experience centres across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
These centres focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development, equipping students with skills aligned to the global digital economy and improving graduate employability.

Although TETFund under the leadership of Sonny Echono has obviously surpassed expectations. However, like Oliver twist, the quest to improve the variables and stem the obstacles has remained an unending pursuit.

With this, it is evident that Echono’s leadership is strategic, focused and productive for every stakeholder in the Nigerian project.

It is now obvious that have an overseer of an educational agency who is always thinking on his feet and whose commitments are sincere pursuits for the overall good of the nation.
An average TETFund staff today is a watered garden and sufficiently motivated to ply his or her job with contentment and renewed strength. It is therefore not surprising that their productivity is rising higher every day.
The leadership of Sonny Echono is a sweet song on the lips of his staff and buoyant blessings for the whole nation.

Perhaps Echono’s most transformative achievement may be his aggressive push for research development and innovation. Recognizing that Nigeria’s global competitiveness depends on research output and knowledge production, he has expanded the National Research Fund, established sector-driven research and development clusters, strengthened institutional research directorates, and supported Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) innovation projects.
The TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR), developed in partnership with Innov8 Hub, exemplifies this commitment. This program connects researchers and academics with the resources needed to translate ideas into innovations, solutions, and enterprises. Through rigorous evaluation by international experts, selected teams receive comprehensive training in innovation development, prototyping, and venture creation.
Recent partnerships with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other international organizations have further strengthened Nigeria’s research ecosystem, with showcased projects addressing global challenges aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.

Femi Zubairu, A Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Abuja.