Jane Salihu
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building financially resilient and globally competitive universities through the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP), with a renewed focus on alumni engagement, strategic partnerships and sustainable funding to drive long-term growth in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, made this known in a keynote address delivered on his behalf at the closing ceremony of the National University Advancement Programme training for university officials, according to a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
Alausa described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to strengthen institutional sustainability and position Nigerian universities to compete effectively in the global knowledge economy.
He said the initiative was not intended to replace government funding for higher education but to complement existing investments by creating additional pathways for research, innovation, scholarships, infrastructure development and long-term institutional growth.
According to the Minister, the programme was established through a partnership involving the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation and the Africa Finance Corporation to institutionalise professionally managed Advancement Offices across federal universities and inter-university centres.
He explained that the offices would coordinate alumni engagement, donor relations, endowment management, strategic communications, resource mobilisation and institutional partnerships, enabling universities to improve their financial resilience, expand research opportunities and enhance global visibility.
Alausa noted that Nigerian universities possess a vast but largely untapped alumni network, with graduates making significant contributions in business, science, medicine, technology, entrepreneurship and public service both within and outside the country.
He said stronger engagement with alumni would boost research funding, expand scholarship opportunities, improve mentorship for students, strengthen partnerships and accelerate infrastructure development and innovation.
The Minister urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the training by establishing transparent and accountable institutional systems capable of attracting donor confidence and improving governance and the overall student experience.
He also reaffirmed that the Federal Government’s education reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains focused on strengthening institutions, expanding access to quality education and positioning the sector as a catalyst for national development.
Speaking at the event, Chairperson of the Technical Working Committee of the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation, Claire Jemide, described the Foundation as a strategic partner committed to strengthening Nigeria’s higher education ecosystem through investment in people, institutions and collaborative partnerships.
She said the University Advancement Programme, launched after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education in January 2026, would equip universities with the systems and strategies required to improve alumni relations, fundraising, communications and long-term institutional advancement.
The National University Advancement Programme brought together vice-chancellors, university administrators, advancement officers and senior officials from federal universities and inter-university centres for intensive training on global best practices in institutional advancement, donor stewardship, alumni relations and sustainable university development.
