The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has refuted claims that it awarded N7.6 billion contracts to two companies without following due process.
The agency clarified that the projects in question were not contracts but ICT projects implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Earlier reports had suggested that TETFund awarded contracts worth N3.8 billion each to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing (PGM) within two months, without the necessary approval from the federal executive council (FEC) as required for contracts of that size.
In a rejoinder signed by Abdulmumin Oniyangi, TETFund spokesperson, the agency explained that the projects were implemented under an MoU with global academies—Anthology USA and Edunet Academy—to provide capacity building courses and learning management systems to about 2 million students across higher institutions in Nigeria.
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The agency emphasized that its disbursement guidelines are approved by the president on the recommendation of the Fund’s board of trustees. It also stated that the partnership with the two academies was aimed at achieving significant cost savings through bulk negotiations for ICT needs of beneficiary institutions.
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However, documents from TETFund, including an approval letter issued to one of the companies, referred to the projects as “contracts.” The letter outlined payment terms and conditions typically associated with contracts.
TETFund’s clarification comes amidst public scrutiny and calls for transparency in government spending. The agency maintains that all its actions are in accordance with due process and regulatory requirements, emphasizing its commitment to accountability and efficiency in the execution of its projects.
