In a bold and cerebral move on the floor of the House of Representatives, Honourable Muktar Tolani Shagaya, Member representing Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency, led the debate on the second reading of HB. 1754 — a bill that seeks to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to include Inter-University Centres as beneficiaries of the education tax.
The amendment bill, originally sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, and co-sponsored by Hon. Shagaya and seven other legislators, aims to remedy the historical exclusion of vital academic institutions such as the National Mathematical Centre and the Nigerian French Village from accessing TETFund support.
These institutions, often the backbone of specialized knowledge and advanced research in the country, have long operated on the fringes of tertiary funding, leaving them underfunded and undervalued.
Honourable Shagaya passionately argued that these centres are indispensable to the growth and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s higher education system.
“This bill is a step towards justice and educational equity. Institutions that significantly contribute to national development must not be starved of the resources they need to thrive,” he asserted during plenary.
If passed, the amendment promises to unlock critical funding opportunities and reposition Inter-University Centres as vital stakeholders in Nigeria’s academic and research landscape.