The Federal Government has introduced a a loan scheme; the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), to enable staff of tertiary institutions improve their welfare and professional development.
Under the news scheme which was unveiled by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa recently in Abuja, each academic and non academic staff in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education are eligible to access up to N10 million of the welfare focused loan capped at 33.3% of their gross annual salary, to be used on transportation, medical support, and micro-enterprise ventures such as poultry farming.
The Minister said the programme would be implemented in partnership with the Bank of Industry, which would manage the disbursement process to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective delivery.
According to him, TISSF was a welfare-focused loan scheme that promotes financial stability, improves quality of life, and supports career advancement for staff across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The minister added that the Fund was part of the administration’s broader effort to reposition the tertiary education sector in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said: “TISSF is not just about welfare. It is about empowerment,” Dr. Alausa stated. “We are ensuring that our education workforce is supported to live well, grow professionally, and continue contributing meaningfully to institutional excellence.”
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, noted that the programme was developed through extensive consultation with staff unions, institutional leaders, and other key stakeholders.
“This reflects our commitment to inclusive, participatory policymaking and results-driven implementation,” she emphasized.
She further explained that a robust monitoring and evaluation framework has been embedded to track progress and ensure the long-term success of the Fund.
Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts at the meeting as well as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, and the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, all expressed strong support for the initiative.
They described it as timely and essential for boosting staff morale and improving performance across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
