Private Universities in Nigeria have renewed calls for inclusion in the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) programme, describing their exclusion as unjust and counterproductive.

The Vice Chancellor of the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Prof. Lateef Folorunsho Oladimeji, who made the call on Sunday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during an interactive session with journalists, noted with dismay that the current legal framework bars private institutions from accessing TETFund despite their indirect contributions to the economy of the country through taxes paid by the organised private sector.

"It is unfortunate that funds sourced partly from the organised private sector exclude private Universities from benefiting. We are part of that ecosystem," he said.

He, however, said that stakeholders are intensifying efforts to persuade the National Assembly to amend the Act to accommodate private Universities.

"All that is required is a review of the relevant clause to allow inclusion in the disbursement framework," he added.

The Vice Chancellor acknowledged that limited access to intervention funds has continued to strain research financing in private Universities.

According to him, Al-Hikmah University, a frontline Islamic faith-based institution in the country, has relied on institutional linkages and partnerships to attract research grants, adding that the inflow, however, remains inadequate.

"We leverage collaborations and networks to secure research funding, but the resources are still not sufficient," he said.

Oladimeji, who assumed office in the University in July 2025 as the sixth substantive Vice Chancellor, said his administration is implementing a 10-point agenda focused on strategic growth, improved welfare, research expansion, institutional ranking and revenue diversification.

He disclosed that the University is strengthening its entrepreneurship programme to ensure graduates leave with registered businesses.

"Our goal is to produce graduates who are job creators, not job seekers. Each student is expected to have a functional, registered enterprise before graduation," he said.

The Vice Chancellor attributed the institution's smooth leadership transition to a structured succession process, noting that he emerged from a pool of 23 candidates without any controversy.

On research collaboration, he said the University is affiliated with several academic consortia across Africa and Europe, facilitating joint research and conference participation.

He added that dozens of lecturers are scheduled to attend local and international conferences in the coming months, backed by budgetary provisions for research support.

Oladimeji said the University has continued to expand its community outreach through health education, rural support initiatives and regular engagement programmes.

He also highlighted improvements in ICT infrastructure, including a 450-capacity CBT centre and upgraded bandwidth to support round-the-clock connectivity and emerging digital learning tools. On campus security, he said a centralised structure coordinates safety operations across the institution's campuses.

Al-Hikmah University was established in 2005 by the AbdulRaheem Oladimeji Islamic Foundation (AROIF) with a goal to be a centre of intellectual and moral excellence and has grown its academic profile through investments in research, infrastructure and community service.