The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has
announced plans to roll out an electric campus transportation scheme
across 12 pilot tertiary institutions in November 2025, as part of
efforts to improve student welfare and promote sustainable mobility.
TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono,
disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with a delegation of the National
Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its National Secretary, Comrade
Shedrack Anzaku, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Echono explained that the initiative aligns with President
Bola Tinubu’s directive to enhance the learning environment through
innovation and inclusion. The electric shuttle service will be managed by
students to ensure accountability and sustainability, with designated
charging stations on each campus. Rides will be offered at minimal cost
to ensure affordability.
“Students currently face many risks and spend so much
time moving around campuses, especially those who live off-campus. From next
month, we will be launching electric student shuttle services in selected
institutions,” Echono said.
He added that the transport initiative is part of a
broader program to improve accommodation, power supply, and educational
infrastructure across Nigerian tertiary institutions. TETFund is also
investing in student hostels across 72 institutions, with commissioning
of completed projects expected to begin in December 2025.
The Fund is scaling up support for research
laboratories, digital learning systems, and sustainable energy projects to
boost the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s higher education system. Echono
noted that these interventions align with the government’s broader education
reforms, including the National Student Loan Scheme now managed by NELFund.
In response, NANS National Secretary Comrade Anzaku
commended TETFund’s role in transforming campuses nationwide, noting that many
existing facilities are products of the Fund’s interventions.
Context
The project comes amid Nigeria’s broader push for alternative
energy transportation, including electric and compressed natural gas (CNG)
vehicles, following the removal of fuel subsidies in 2023. However,
automotive expert Richard Akpodiete advised that Nigeria’s transition
should begin with hybrid vehicles to ease the shift toward full
electrification, citing Germany’s phased model that combined infrastructure
development with regulatory incentives.
Earlier in August 2025, TETFund received a record
?1.6 trillion allocation for interventions in tertiary institutions — its
highest ever — with ?70 billion earmarked for energy projects and ?25
billion for campus security and street lighting.
Comments:
Leave a Reply