In a bold move to tackle Nigeria’s healthcare crisis and reverse the growing trend of medical brain drain, the Federal Government has committed N110 billion through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to bolster medical training and deploy cutting-edge simulation technology across Nigerian universities.
The investment, to be rolled out over the next five years, was announced by TETFund Chairman, Aminu Bello Masari, during the commissioning of eight landmark projects at the Federal University of Technology, Babura in Jigawa State. The projects were delivered under TETFund’s Special High Impact Intervention programme.
Masari said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places the revitalization of the health sector at the heart of national development.
“This strategic investment is aimed at reducing Nigeria’s reliance on foreign medical training, curbing outbound medical tourism, and halting the mass exodus of health professionals,” Masari stated. “Our goal is to position Nigerian universities as centres of medical excellence through technology, innovation, and sustainable capacity development.”
The newly inaugurated projects at FUT Babura—including academic buildings, lecture halls, and a state-of-the-art library—were constructed at a total cost of N5.8 billion, underscoring TETFund’s expanding footprint in tertiary education infrastructure.
Speaking on behalf of the TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, the Special Adviser on Technical Matters, Buhari Mika’ilu, commended the Federal Government for ensuring timely funding, which he said was instrumental in delivering the projects on schedule.
“These facilities are not just buildings—they are foundations for research, innovation, and global competitiveness,” Mika’ilu remarked.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Ignatius Onimawa, praised TETFund’s transformative role in tertiary education, calling it the single most impactful driver of growth across Nigeria’s higher institutions.
“Without TETFund’s consistent interventions, many of our universities would remain glorified secondary schools,” he said. “What we see today is a university on the rise, thanks to strategic investment in infrastructure and research.”
Echoing that sentiment, the Vice Chancellor of FUT Babura, Professor Sabo Ibrahim, listed the commissioned projects, which include:
A Deanery and Lecture Halls, An Academic Building, A Library Complex, Several Departmental Buildings.
He affirmed that these additions will significantly enhance teaching and learning, foster innovation, and prepare graduates for modern workforce demands.
The Federal University of Technology, Babura, one of Nigeria’s newer institutions, is being rapidly transformed through targeted investment and is now positioning itself as a key player in science, technology, and medical education in the North-West region.
