Raphael Kanu
The Federal Government has introduced the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF) — a major welfare and empowerment scheme aimed at improving the lives of academic and non-academic staff in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Announcing the initiative on Friday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the fund as a direct response to the welfare and professional growth needs of the sector’s workforce.
“TISSF is not just a welfare package; it is a strategic empowerment platform designed to give our academic and non-academic staff the financial stability they need to serve our students with renewed dedication, and to live with dignity and pride,” Alausa stated.
He added that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Reform Agenda for Education, which prioritises people as the nation’s greatest asset in driving educational transformation and economic growth.
The scheme, jointly initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in collaboration with the Bank of Industry, offers interest-free loans to eligible staff. The loan amount is up to ₦10 million, capped at 33.3% of gross annual salary, repayable after five years with a 12-month grace period before repayment begins.
According to the minister, the fund covers five major areas — medical support for surgeries, emergency care and medication; family and accommodation support including rent, home purchase and renovations; transportation such as the purchase of vehicles including electric vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles and CNG conversions; small-scale enterprises and agricultural projects including poultry, fishing, crop farming and agro-processing; and academic advancement through professional certifications, degrees and capacity-building programmes.
Eligibility is open to confirmed full-time academic and non-academic staff of federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, as well as one state university, polytechnic and college of education in each state. Applicants must have at least five years remaining before retirement and belong to recognised staff associations such as ASUU, SSANU or NASU.
Alausa urged qualified staff to apply immediately via the official portal, https://tissf.education.gov.ng, noting: “To all eligible staff across our universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education: begin your application today. It’s time to seize the moment!”