The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building financially resilient and globally competitive universities through the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP), saying the initiative will strengthen institutional sustainability and reduce overdependence on government funding.
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, stated this in a keynote address delivered on his behalf at the closing ceremony of the National University Advancement Programme training for university officials.
Alausa described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to equip universities with the institutional capacity, partnerships and governance structures required to compete in the global knowledge economy.
He said the initiative complements, rather than replaces, government funding by creating new avenues for research support, innovation, scholarships and long-term institutional growth.
“The National University Advancement Programme is not intended to replace government support for higher education. Rather, it complements existing investments by creating additional pathways for sustainability, innovation, research support, scholarships and long-term institutional growth,” he said.
According to the minister, NUAP was established through a partnership involving the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) 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, fundraising and institutional partnerships to improve universities’ financial resilience, research capacity and global visibility.
Alausa said Nigerian universities possess a significant but underutilised asset in their alumni network, noting that many graduates have distinguished themselves in business, science, medicine, technology, entrepreneurship and public service both within and outside the country.
The minister urged participating institutions to implement the knowledge acquired during the training by establishing transparent systems that promote accountability, strengthen governance and improve the overall student experience.
He added that the Federal Government’s education reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains focused on strengthening higher education institutions, expanding access to quality education and positioning the sector as a driver of 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 foundation had expanded its interventions beyond student scholarship programmes to include faculty development, healthcare leadership, university governance and institutional transformation.
Jemide noted that the University Advancement Programme, launched following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education in January 2026, represents a major step towards equipping universities with the systems and strategies needed to improve alumni engagement, 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 training on global best practices in institutional advancement, donor stewardship, alumni relations and sustainable university development.