News

Why We Discontinued Foreign Scholarship Programme For Lecturers —TETFUND

Published

3 months ago

June 29, 2025

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, has explained why the agency suspended its foreign scholarship programme for lecturers in public tertiary institutions.

Echono said the scholarship programme for lecturers was discontinued because it had become financially unsustainable, citing high foreign exchange rates and the growing number of beneficiaries who failed to return to Nigeria after completing their studies abroad.

Speaking in an interview with TheCable, he revealed that in some cases, TETFund spent nearly N100 million on a single scholar, especially when converted from currencies like pounds and dollars.

“It’s a cost-benefit analysis. We are faced with two challenges. The first is the exchange rate differential.

“We have a situation where, because of the sharp drop in the value of the local currency, we have to provide a lot of naira cover to train a single scholar,” he said.

“In some institutions, we are getting close to 100 million for one person when you convert from pounds to naira. So, cost was a major factor, because we pay in dollars, pounds, euros, and other foreign currencies.

“The second part is that many of the beneficiaries were not being kind to the country.

“They make us sponsor them, and when they finish their programmes, they refuse to come back.

“Meanwhile, the school will be waiting for them here, expecting that they will return to impart the students.”

Describing the situation as a “double tragedy,” Echono noted that while lecturers enjoyed full sponsorship abroad, their institutions in Nigeria continued paying them, expecting them to return.

“So, it’s a double tragedy for the institution that released them. And while they are on scholarships, they are still receiving salaries from their institutions back home.

“We are not stopping you from going abroad to look for greener pastures, but not under false pretences. Not by defrauding the government, as it were.

“And it was happening in huge numbers. We tried to look at ways of trying to collaborating with the training institutions to curtail this. But they found various ways of going underground for a while, or changing from one country to the other.

“So, we felt that it was no longer sustainable — the high costs and rate of abscondment,” he said.

However, Echono clarified that the suspension is not absolute. He said waivers are still granted in exceptional cases where the course of study is not available in any Nigerian university.

He continued, “The bridge we’ve created is that we are now allowing for some exceptions — in very exceptional cases — where the courses of study are not available locally. So, we give exemptions. It’s not an absolute suspension.

“We have granted waivers. For example, the aviation university — we just gave them a waiver less than two weeks ago because some of the specific courses are new and not available in the country.

“So, for those, based on their merits, relevance to the national economy, and the fact that they are desirable for the institution, we grant those waivers.”

Echono added that the Fund decided to redirect resources to support local training of academic staff, which he described as more cost-effective and impactful.

“The majority of our scholars used to be from here. We have a local component, and we have the foreign component. So the local component has now received a boost because we have not reduced our funding for academic staff training; instead, we have increased it,” he said.

“We are training more people now. And the numbers will increase further because for each person you send abroad, you can train between eight to ten locally for the same amount.”

TETFund suspended the foreign scholarship programme in November 2024.

News

Navy Opens Recruitment For Basic Training School Batch 38

Published

9 hours ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Navy has opened applications for its Basic Training School (BTS) Batch 38 recruitment exercise, scheduled to run from October 2 to October 31, 2025.

According to an official statement, the recruitment process is free, and interested applicants must submit their applications online at https://www.joinnigeriannavy.navy.mil.ng/https://www.joinnigeriannavy.navy.mil.ng.

Successful candidates will undergo basic military training before being officially enlisted as Ordinary Seamen.

The Navy stressed that eligibility is restricted to Nigerian citizens by birth with a valid National Identification Number (NIN). Applicants must have no criminal record and must not be affiliated with secret societies, cults, or fraternities.

Educational and age requirements were clearly outlined. Candidates applying with O’level results must be between 18 and 22 years old as of December 31, 2025.

Those with OND/NCE qualifications must be aged 18 to 26, while Chaplain/Imam Assistants and Drivers/Mechanics must fall within the 18 to 28 age bracket.

In all cases, applicants are required to have at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, obtained in not more than two sittings in WAEC, NECO, GCE, or NABTEB, with certificates not older than 2015.

The Navy added that special professions, such as Medical Assistants and Nurses, require proof of registration with relevant professional bodies.

Applicants for technical trades including tailoring, plumbing, carpentry, welding, and electrical works must present valid Trade Test certificates in addition to academic qualifications.

Similarly, candidates applying as sportsmen and women are expected to provide certificates and medals as evidence of their sporting achievements.

The recruitment examination is scheduled for November 29, 2025, at designated centers nationwide.

Candidates are required to bring their Attestation Form, duly signed with a passport photograph of the signer, along with valid identification such as a Driver’s License, International Passport, or National ID Card.

Applicants have been cautioned against multiple applications, which will lead to disqualification.

The Navy further advised candidates to seek clarification only through official communication channels provided on the recruitment portal.

News

BREAKING: Gov Fubara Dissolves Rivers Pension Board

Published

11 hours ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has dissolved the State Pensions Board with immediate effect.

Rivers State Head of Service Mrs Inyingi Brown made this announcement on Friday in Port Harcourt.

According to the governor, the office of the State Accountant General will handle the functions of the board until a new one is constituted.

News

FAAN Launches Cashless Payment System Across Airports

Published

11 hours ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has launched the cashless system of payment across all airports.

“FAAN in partnership with Paystack, is proud to announce the roll out of OPERATION GO CASHLESS, a cashless contactless payment solution across all airports beginning with Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,” the agency said in a communique on Thursday.

Effective September 29, 2025, all payments at FAAN’s revenue points, including airport Access Gates, Car Parks, FAAN VIP and Protocol Lounges will go cashless which means the agency will be phasing out the collection of cash at these points.

FAAN added that travelers and airport users will now enjoy fast and seamless services by using a secure contactless payment option.

This initiative, it stated, is a response to the growing demand for safe, modern, and transparent payment systems while ensuring Nigeria’s airports remain aligned with global digital trends.

By reducing reliance on cash, FAAN said it aims to enhance efficiency, improve revenue assurance, and deliver a better customer experience at our airports.

To ease the transition, trained brand ambassadors have been deployed at access gates and around the terminals to guide users, assist with onboarding, provide demonstrations, and answer questions they may have.

In addition, passengers have been directed to obtain a FAAN Go Cashless Card at any airport access gate in Lagos and Abuja.

After collection, users are encouraged to activate and fund their cards immediately by visiting www.gocashless. faan.gov.ng.

FAAN added that it remains committed to continuous improvement and will expand this cashless policy to other airports nationwide in phases.

For inquiries, airport users have also been advised to contact FAAN’s support line at 0700 CBS FAAN (0700 227 3226) or email the agency at gocashlesssupport@faan.gov.ng.