Fed govt earmarks N250b for hostel construction in varsities, says Alausa
The Federal Government has earmarked approximately N250 billion for the construction of hostels in tertiary institutions across the country. This was disclosed on Friday by the Education Minister Dr Tunji
The Federal Government has earmarked approximately N250 billion for the construction of hostels in tertiary institutions across the country.
This was disclosed on Friday by the Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa at the sod-turning ceremony of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) hostel development intervention project on the Lagos State University (LASU) main campus in Ojo Lagos.
Alausa noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to education and empowerment of the youths.
The project, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) involving Lagos State University, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and private investors, is structured on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangement. The intervention is designed to significantly expand and improve student accommodation facilities on LASU campus.
Giving the breakdown of the N250 billion to be spent in the building of new hostels across various universities in the country, the minister said, “We are spending N100 billion, N2billion each to build 500 spaces of student hotels in over 50 Tertiary institutions. We're also building 24 PPP hostels with a capacity of at least 1,200 to 1,500 bed spaces across 24 tertiary institutions in the country, of which LASU is a beneficiary. A typical example of that PPP is that the Federal Government, TETFUND will bring one billion, and the private investors will bring another three billion.
“That translates into about another 96 billion to build 24 hostels across 24 institutions. And we're also spending another one billion to deliver at least 300 bed spaces of hostels in another 24 tertiary institutions in the country. So all in all, cumulatively, we're spending about 250 billion naira in just 2026 alone to deliver world-class, high-standard student accommodation hostels across all our various tertiary institutions in the country, both federal and state.”
READ ALSO: Meet Hallowed Olaoluwa, UNILAG lecturer who had double First Class at 18, PhD at 24
Speaking on the completion of these hostels, the Hon. Minister of Education explained that: “These are projects that we are fast-tracking in a way that starts delivering comfort to the students as soon as possible. For the PPP hostels, the completion period is 24 months. For the over N200billion hostels, we have a completion period of less than 12 months.”
Alausa, who commended the LASU for its giant strides in being one of the most sought-after institutions in the country, and also the highest in terms of student population, rolled out intervention programmes that the government was bringing to the institution.
He further explained that the presidency through the TETFund has a five-point agenda for universities, which includes: the rehabilitation of students' hostels, rehabilitation of classrooms, and lecture theatres and auditoriums; building of new classroom rooms and lecture theatres, rehabilitation of engineering and workshops.
“We will also be building an independent power plant of 10 megawatts here in LASU, which will cost N20 billion, and another 4 megawatts in Epe Campus. So a total of N24m will be spent on this power project to give LASU 24 hours of uninterrupted power supply," he added.
Commissioner of Tertiary Education in Lagos State, Tolani Sule, said the promises of the Federal Government to LASU, especially in the provision of uninterrupted power supply, would save the institution from spending N200million yearly on diesel and fuel.
The Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, said these projects, especially the hostel construction of 1500-bed capacity, would go a long way to addressing the issue of accommodation.
“We have over 85000 students, and we are accommodating just about 7000. This 1500-bed hostel will also improve the number of students that will be on campus, their safety and social relations," she said.
" Today is not just about turning the soil. It is about laying the foundations for a stronger, more inclusive, and more supportive learning environment for our students. It is about reaffirming our commitment to excellence, growth, and the future of education in our great institution,” she said.
The VC expressed “profound appreciation” Alausa for attending the ceremony, describing his presence as a powerful testament to his unwavering support for LASU and indeed the education sector.
“We thank you for your leadership and for personally leading this groundbreaking ceremony. Your consistent commitment to prioritizing the interests of LASU continues to inspire confidence and progress,” she added.
Prof. Olatunji-Bello also commended TETFund for its “enduring commitment to the development of tertiary institutions in Nigeria,” noting that LASU has been a major beneficiary of its interventions.
She listed several TETFund projects on campus, including the six-storey Academic Resource Centre, the Faculty of Communication Building, the Faculty of Arts Building, the ongoing School of Tourism, and the recently approved 3,000-seat main auditorium.
“These interventions have significantly shaped our infrastructural landscape and strengthened our academic capacity,” the VC said.
According to her, the new 1,500-bed hostel will not only ease accommodation challenges, but also enhance the overall student experience by providing a safe, conducive, and modern living environment that supports learning and personal development.
