The Federal Government has approved N250 billion for the construction of student hostels across tertiary institutions nationwide in what officials describe as the largest single-year investment in hostel infrastructure in the country’s history.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa announced the intervention on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of governing boards and principal officers of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education. He said the initiative, approved by President Bola Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda, is a direct response to years of overcrowding and poor living conditions in Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Under the plan, at least 50 tertiary institutions will each receive about N2 billion to build new hostels or expand existing ones, with each project expected to provide a minimum of 500 bed spaces. “We are spending N2 billion each to build hostel accommodation in at least 50 tertiary institutions. The N2 billion will deliver 500 bed spaces in each institution, and these funds have been mobilised through TETFund,” Alausa said.
An additional N90 billion will be deployed through public-private partnership arrangements to deliver hostels in 24 federal institutions, with each facility providing between 1,200 and 1,500 bed spaces. TETFund will contribute N1 billion as counterpart funding per institution while private investors are expected to provide about N3 billion, bringing the total investment to roughly N4 billion per site.
Alausa noted that construction has already started in several institutions and that the cumulative N250 billion allocation for 2026 is aimed solely at student accommodation. He added that smaller hostel projects delivering at least 300 bed spaces will also be supported in another 24 institutions.
The minister described President Tinubu’s leadership as “missionary” and central to advancing reforms in the education sector. “The president’s investment and policy direction have strengthened human capital development and positioned education as a central tool for national transformation,” he said.
Alausa stressed that the initiative goes beyond building structures, calling it a social-development intervention designed to improve student welfare and access to higher education. He also pointed out that the student loan scheme would cover accommodation costs to ensure that indigent students are not denied access.
TETFund will oversee disbursement and implementation to ensure accountability and timely delivery, while the ministry has received the highest budgetary allocation in the country for two consecutive years, reflecting the administration’s focus on education reform.
