By Ngozi Nwankwo
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, has commissioned two landmark projects worth N4.089 billion at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, IBBU, Lapai, Niger State, executed under its 2023 Special High Impact Intervention and 2020/2021 merged interventions.
The projects which are the Remodelled University Senate Building and the Faculty of Law Complex were constructed at N1,584,998,463.70 and N2,504,381,517.61 respectively.
Speaking at the Commissioning Ceremony on Thursday in Lapai, the Chairman, TETFund Board of Trustees, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, noted that since 2011, the Fund has allocated N15.25 billion for infrastructure-related projects at IBB University, of which N13.04 billion has already been accessed.
Masari commended the university for the prudent utilisation of the funds noting that “We are convinced that the projects undertaken with these funds will continually impact the university’s mandate in facilitating teaching, learning, research and community service.”
The former Governor of Katsina State and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, praised the Niger State Government under Governor Umar Bago for its visible commitment to education, describing the administration’s support as “a key reason why the commissioning was possible.
He said the newly commissioned projects represent TETFund’s continued alignment with the Federal Government’s vision of modernizing tertiary institutions, including interventions in sustainable power supply, medical training facilities, and ICT innovation.
Masari also lamented the suspension of foreign training for lecturers due to high foreign exchange rates and incidents of abscondment, assuring that local capacity-building and infrastructural investments will now take precedence.
“We urge the university to ensure proper maintenance of these facilities. For our part, TETFund will sustain impactful interventions to make Nigerian institutions globally competitive,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, described the commissioning as a milestone in advancing Nigeria’s higher education, stressing that world-class infrastructure remains vital for academic excellence and innovation.
Represented by the Fund’s Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Arc Babatunde Olajide, Echono said “These edifices are not just structures of brick and mortar; they are symbols of progress, opportunity and the future we envision for our youth and our nation.”
He commended the IBBU management and the Niger State Government for their collaboration and prudent utilization of resources, urging staff and students to safeguard and maximize the new facilities for research, creativity, and service to humanity.
On his part, the Governor Niger State, Umar Bago, represented by his Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, hailed the projects as “a factory for justice and leadership.”
Bago described the Faculty of Law Complex as one of the largest in West Africa, boasting over 100 offices, an e-library, standard moot court, and inclusive facilities for persons with disabilities.
He also reaffirmed the state government’s resolve to expand tertiary education access through initiatives such as the IBB University Teaching Hospital, Abdulkadir University, Minna, and the newly established University of Agriculture and Climate Change, all designed to align education with Niger State’s development priorities.
“Education remains the foundation upon which we build a prosperous and self-reliant Niger State,” he said.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of IBB University, Prof. Mohammed Suleiman, expressed profound appreciation to TETFund and the state government for their unwavering support, describing the commissioning as “a milestone in the university’s history and a national investment in the future of higher education.”
Suleiman disclosed that the remodelled Senate Building, now named the Abdulkadir Kure Senate Building, contains 70 offices, a 200-seat Senate Chamber, 50-seat Council Chamber, and 96,000-litre water reservoir, while the Faculty of Law Complex comprises 106 offices, lecture theatres, e-library, boardrooms, and a 450-seat moot court.
On the amount of constructing the Senate Building and the law faculty, he said “The amount is N1,584,998,463.70, and the name of the consultant is Bill Marx Associate Limited. The purpose of this Senate Building is to provide conducive office accommodation for university staff and befitting meeting halls for Management, Senate, and Council members.
“The cost of the project for the Faculty of Law stands at N2,504,381,517.61. It also started in 2023 and has been completed in 2025 and will be commissioned immediately after the Senate Building. The contractor is USALT Teleview Nigeria Limited, while the consultant is Studio International.”
Suleiman appealed to TETFund for additional support to construct a major student hostel, pledging continued transparency and accountability in managing the Fund’s interventions.