The Federal Ministry of Education has concluded the 2025/2026 cycle of the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund, releasing ₦13 billion in interest free loans to 7,450 academic and non academic staff across 153 public tertiary institutions nationwide.

Disclosed in a press release dated June 19, the disbursement covers staff from public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, with the Bank of Industry administering the scheme on behalf of the Federal Government. The fund offers eligible staff loans of up to N10 million, capped at 33.3% of gross annual salary, for purposes including transportation, healthcare and small scale business ventures.

Since disbursements commenced on 28 October 2025, the programme has processed 42,000 applications through its digital platform, drawing beneficiaries from all six geopolitical zones. Universities accounted for 52% of disbursements, while colleges of education and polytechnics received 25% and 23% respectively. Female staff made up 19% of beneficiaries during the cycle, a figure the Ministry acknowledged as a gap requiring deliberate action in subsequent phases.

Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa described the scheme as a critical component of the Ministry's broader education reform agenda, linking staff welfare directly to institutional performance. "No education system can outperform the people who sustain it," Alausa remarked, adding that investments in infrastructure, technology, skills development, research and institutional reforms must be matched by practical measures that improve staff welfare and quality of life.

The Ministry framed the programme as one of the largest staff welfare initiatives in Nigeria's education sector and as a direct expression of President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his administration's commitment to investing in the people who drive teaching, learning, research, and innovation across Nigeria's tertiary institutions," the Ministry stated.

It is worth noting that when the TISSF launched in July 2025, the Academic Staff Union of Universities rejected the scheme, arguing that the government should prioritise poor staff welfare conditions and the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements. A negotiation concluded in December 2025 resulted in a 40% salary increment alongside certain allowances.

To improve uptake in the next phase, the Ministry disclosed plans to enhance its digital application process and deepen engagement with participating institutions. Targeted outreach will focus specifically on female staff and regions where participation has been low. Applications for the 2026/2027 phase will open at the end of June 2026, with eligible staff advised to monitor official Ministry channels and engage their institutions' bursary departments for guidelines.