FG TO STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S DIGITAL EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM THROUGH PUBLIC–PRIVATE COLLABORATION

"The initiative aligns with the education agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritises access to quality and inclusive education." Maruf Alausa 

.... Says "Sustainable progress in education requires collective responsibility and inclusive partnerships between government and private sector stakeholders."

The Federal Government of Nigeria is poised to strengthening the country's digital education ecosystem through public private collaboration.

This is as the FG has invites eligible private tertiary institutions to join the Tertiary Education Research and Application Service (TERAS); a national digital platform designed to enhance teaching, learning, research, innovation, and institutional efficiency.

Nigeria's Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen and safeguard Nigeria’s education ecosystem through strategic public–private collaboration.

Dr Maruf emphasised that sustainable progress in education requires collective responsibility and inclusive partnerships between government and private sector stakeholders.

He explained that the expansion of TERAS, implemented in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital education reform agenda. While TERAS has traditionally served public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, eligible private institutions are now invited to formally partner with TETFund and benefit from the same premium digital services delivered at national scale.

He noted that TERAS is a unified national digital infrastructure that provides structured onboarding, reliable connectivity services, cost efficiency, standardised quality assurance mechanisms, and data-driven decision-making tools. These features are critical to improving institutional performance and ensuring that Nigerian tertiary institutions remain competitive both locally and globally.

The inclusion of private tertiary institutions reflects the Federal Government’s broader vision of a unified, inclusive, and resilient higher education ecosystem aligned with global best practices. And collective engagement through TERAS would strengthen collaboration, enhance bargaining power, and accelerate the development of a shared digital future for tertiary education in Nigeria.

Dr. Alausa therefore called on interested private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to formally express their interest and engage with TETFund through the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, stressing that collaborative inclusivity remains key to achieving sustainable educational advancement.

The Ministry reaffirmed that the initiative aligns with the education agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritises access to quality and inclusive education, while positioning Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to attain global relevance in learning, research, and innovation in support of national development.

This was contained in a Press Statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education.