Victoria Mbangwa
The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, has reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to promoting “good architecture” across Nigeria’s higher institutions, describing it as a vital driver of societal progress and academic excellence.
Speaking while receiving the leadership of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) in Abuja on Friday, Echono commended the Institute’s renewed unity and professional strides under its current President, Arc. Mobolaji Adeniyi, noting that TETFUND’s projects are increasingly shifting from “bland structures” to iconic campus buildings that reflect the grandeur of world-class universities.
“Campus architecture has its own serene, its own grandeur that is known all over the World, and we’re trying to recreate that in our campuses,” Echono said, announcing that newly completed landmark projects in Kano and Osun will be commissioned this month.
Echono disclosed that over 70% of TETFUND’s interventions involve buildings, adding that the Fund insists on engaging registered and practicing architects for all its projects. He announced the approval of a ₦5 million grant for the NIA’s professional journal and pledged to personally endow an annual prize at the Institute’s awards.
On the Institute’s request for design competitions, he expressed support but urged the NIA to develop a framework that aligns with procurement laws, saying competitions would “bring out the best through multiple solutions” and help spread opportunities among professionals nationwide.
Earlier, NIA President Arc. Mobolaji Adeniyi had commended TETFUND for executing nearly 190,000 projects across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and for its Centres of Excellence initiative. She urged the Fund to support the furnishing of the NIA Resource & Exhibition Centre, sponsor annual design competitions, endow prizes, empower architects through project commissions, and support research publications.
Adeniyi stressed that “Good architecture equals societal progress”, arguing that well-designed schools, hospitals, transport hubs, and public spaces directly impact quality of life and national development.
Echono also revealed that TETFUND is building six multidisciplinary research laboratories and establishing 78 innovation hubs nationwide to bridge theory and practical skills, while reducing reliance on foreign facilities for research.
The meeting ended with both institutions pledging deeper collaboration to use architecture as a tool for transforming Nigeria’s educational infrastructure and promoting excellence in the built environment.
