President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), a strategic welfare programme aimed at improving the well-being and professional growth of academic and non-academic staff in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The initiative offers interest-free loans of up to N10 million, with a maximum repayment period of five years and a one-year moratorium. Applications for the fund are now open through the official portal at tissf.education.gov.ng.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, thanked President Tinubu for his continuous investment in education and the welfare of its stakeholders. He explained that the fund is designed to support staff with needs such as transportation, small-scale agribusiness, medical expenses, family support, accommodation, and academic advancement. The TISSF, he said, complements other government interventions like the student-focused Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has already recorded significant success under the Tinubu administration.
Dr. Alausa noted that the TISSF is a key component of the National Education Sector Renewal Implementation (NESRI) framework and will be closely monitored to ensure transparent and effective implementation. He assured that the Ministry has developed strong accountability measures to guarantee that the initiative achieves its goal of enhancing staff welfare, promoting financial independence, and driving capacity development in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
