June 19 (THEWILL) — The Federal Government has expanded its education sector welfare intervention programme with the successful disbursement of over ₦13 billion in interest-free loans to 7,450 academic and non-academic staff across 153 public tertiary institutions nationwide under the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF).
The disbursement marks the completion of the 2025/2026 cycle of the scheme, as the Federal Government also announced plans to commence a fresh application phase for the 2026/2027 cycle before the end of June 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Education, the government said the initiative forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at improving staff welfare, reducing financial pressure on education workers and strengthening productivity across Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The ministry explained that the TISSF, established by the Federal Ministry of Education and administered by the Bank of Industry (BoI), remains one of the largest welfare interventions targeted at workers in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Under the programme, eligible beneficiaries can access interest-free loans of up to ₦10 million to address personal and professional financial needs while improving their overall well-being.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in education workers, stressing that those driving teaching, research, innovation and learning remain central to national development.
According to the statement, the President noted that through the intervention, the Federal Government is easing financial burdens on tertiary institution staff while strengthening the workforce responsible for shaping the country’s future.
Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the programme as a critical component of the ministry’s ongoing education reform agenda, noting that no education system can perform beyond the quality and welfare of the people sustaining it.
Alausa said government investments in infrastructure, technology, skills development, research and institutional reforms must be complemented by direct welfare measures capable of improving the quality of life of education workers. He added that the successful completion of the 2025/2026 phase demonstrates both the high demand for the intervention and its growing impact within the sector.
According to the ministry, since disbursement commenced on October 28, 2025, the digital platform managing the programme has processed more than 42,000 applications from beneficiaries across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
A breakdown of the disbursement shows that universities accounted for 52 per cent of beneficiaries, while colleges of education represented 25 percent, and polytechnics accounted for 23 percent.
The ministry also disclosed a gender participation gap, revealing that female beneficiaries made up only 19 per cent of recipients during the completed cycle.
To address the imbalance, the government said the next phase of implementation will focus on targeted sensitisation campaigns to increase participation among female education workers and improve uptake in underserved regions.
The Federal Ministry of Education further announced improvements to the application process, saying it is strengthening engagement with participating institutions and upgrading digital systems to ensure a faster and more efficient user experience.
Applications for the 2026/2027 phase of the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund are expected to open at the end of June 2026, with eligible academic and non-academic staff advised to liaise with their institutions’ bursary departments and monitor official ministry communication channels for application guidelines.
The ministry reiterated that the intervention remains central to the Federal Government’s broader strategy to build a stronger education sector where staff welfare is prioritised, institutions are strengthened, and investments translate into improved learning outcomes, research excellence, innovation and national development.
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