• Alausa says only legally cleared monies to be transferred
•FG to decriminalise attempted suicide, targets 15% reduction by 2030
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu yesterday directed that all legally cleared looted funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should be channelled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to further strengthen financing of tertiary education in the country.
Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, who disclosed this to newsmen at the end of the fourth meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2026 at the State House, Abuja, added that the President also directed that funds in the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund and the Dormant Accounts Trust Fund be mobilised for NELFUND, subject to compliance with the laws establishing the two funds.
The minister, who described the President’s directives as a major boost for Nigerian students, clarified that the issue concerning EFCC recoveries applies strictly to liquid funds that have been legally recovered and are no longer subject to litigation.
Alausa stated that the President further directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance, Ministry of Education, the Debt Management Office (DMO) and other relevant agencies to work out the legal and operational framework for transferring the affected funds.
According to him, the Attorney General would also work with the EFCC Chairman to identify recovered funds that are legally available for transfer.
“The President was very clear, not seized properties, all recovered looted funds, liquid funds, recovered by the EFCC will now be transferred to NELFUND,” he clarified.
He explained that government would similarly examine the existing legislation governing the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund and Dormant Accounts Trust Fund to determine the appropriate legal steps required to make the resources available to NELFUND.
Alausa added that the President was specific that only funds free of legal issues would be affected by the directive.
He stressed: “Every single fund that is still subject to a legal challenge will not be part of the money that will be transferred to NELFUND. The funds that will be transferred will be all cleared funds, unencumbered funds that were looted, funds that legally belonged to Nigeria, to Nigerians”.
The minister said the President considered education one of the most productive uses to which recovered public funds could be put, especially as the administration seeks to build the human capital required to drive its ambition of growing Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy.
The decision, he said, is aimed at putting NELFUND on a sustainable financial footing as demand for the student loan scheme continues to expand.
Alausa explained that more than 1.2 million Nigerian students are currently benefiting from NELFUND, adding that the Fund has disbursed more than N93 billion as upkeep allowances to students in federal and state-owned public institutions.
The minister said more than N250 billion had also been disbursed as institutional fees to public tertiary institutions across the country.
“The education of our children cannot wait; it is of utmost importance to him (President), and he will do anything and everything to protect the future of every single Nigerian child, every single Nigerian student,” the minister stated.
Alausa described the student loan programme as a fulfilment of one of President’s campaign promises to broaden access to tertiary education irrespective of students’ financial backgrounds.
FEC also approved an augmentation of about N118.31 billion for the completion of the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria headquarters complex in Abuja, as well as about N37 billion for its furnishing.
Alausa said the National Library project, started on April 29, 2006 and originally scheduled for completion within two years, had remained abandoned since work stopped in October 2008.
The President, he explained, had directed the ministry to mobilise resources to revive the project, including funding sourced through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Alausa also acknowledged contribution of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who had requested that gifts for her birthday be directed towards completion of the National Library.
According to him, the initiative raised about N25 billion towards the project.
“The council today approved the augmentation of existing contract for the completion of the construction of National Library of Nigeria headquarters building complex in Abuja”, he said, adding that the government hoped construction would resume within the next few months.
Alausa said FEC also approved the establishment of the Nigerian Academy for the Gifted and Talented, which would emerge from the transformation of the existing Suleja Academy.
He explained that Suleja Academy was established to identify and nurture exceptionally gifted Nigerian children but had over the years operated largely like one of the Federal Government Colleges, preventing it from fully achieving its original mandate.
Under the proposed arrangement, the institution would become an autonomous academy with its own governing structure and diversified sources of funding, including federal appropriation, endowments and gifts.
According to the minister, the academy would identify gifted children across the country and provide an environment in which their abilities could be developed for innovation and national development.
FEC consequently approved the preparation of an executive bill by the Attorney-General of the Federation for transmission to the National Assembly to give legal effect to the transformation.
“We have to look for every single genius in this country and bring them in, nurture them, and let them help create the Nigeria of tomorrow”, Alausa stated.
Also on Wednesday, the federal government hinted of plans to decriminalise attempted suicide in Nigeria, targeting a 15 per cent reduction in suicide cases by 2030 as part of efforts to shift the country’s response to mental health challenges from punishment to care and support.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, told reporters that FEC approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act to remove the criminalisation of attempted suicide.
According to him, the move was designed to end the application of colonial-era laws under which people who attempted suicide could be arrested and prosecuted, despite often requiring medical and psychological intervention.
He said the existing legal framework treated people experiencing severe psychological distress as offenders rather than persons in need of care.
“Within the context of those colonial-era laws, you can arrest them and, in fact, prosecute them for breaking the law. While these are people who are actually ill, it is like getting somebody who has tuberculosis and saying, ‘Why did you have tuberculosis?
“So, it is changing the paradigm to one whereby they require care and support if there is an attempted suicide. Hopefully, that will reduce episodes of suicides that are successful or even attempted,” he pointed out.
Pate said the government’s target was to achieve a 15 per cent reduction in suicide cases by 2030.
According to him, the proposed amendment followed extensive consultations involving mental health advocates, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as well as a task force established to work on the issue.
His words: “After extensive deliberation, including by mental health advocates, there was consensus to actually make this amendment.
“With the Attorney General’s Office, Ministry of Justice, ourselves and the task force that was set up, and with the support of the National Assembly, we think this bill will make a major difference from a public health perspective and help us deal with the burden of mental ill health that afflicts many Nigerians.”
He said the amendment, having received FEC approval, would now be transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative action.
Pate said the reform was also intended to address the inconsistency between the criminal justice framework and the National Mental Health Act, 2021, which provides for supportive care, protection and treatment for people at risk of self-harm.
The Minister said the World Health Organisation estimates that suicide accounts for more than 7,000 deaths annually in Nigeria, with about 300,000 suicide attempts recorded each year.
He added that more than 450,000 Nigerians require psychosocial support annually, underscoring the need for a public health response rather than criminal sanctions.
Pate also spoke the procurement processes for the major projects approved for the National Hospital, Abuja, and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).
According to him, the funds for the projects had been appropriated by the National Assembly and were being managed through the relevant institutions.
The projects, he explained, were not domiciled directly in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare but were being implemented through NICRAT and the National Hospital.
He said the institutions followed due process and obtained the necessary clearances through competitive procurement procedures overseen by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
“They looked at companies that have the capability for specialised construction of hospital and health infrastructure that can be able to do it within the timeframe allotted.”
Pate added that the procurement criteria and processes remained open to scrutiny, stressing that FEC reviewed the contracts without objection from the BPP and received assurances that the contractors had the capacity to execute the projects.
The minister described the investments as unprecedented against the backdrop of what he called Nigeria’s historical underinvestment in health infrastructure.
“This is unprecedented because, to be honest, Nigeria has not invested significantly or seriously in health infrastructure.
“You go to many of our facilities every day; people are complaining. So, you need to make that leap of faith to get the resources appropriated, which has been done.
“Now the challenge will be to secure the financing before you commit a contractor. But that contractor has to have the capability.”
Pate said the increased investment in health infrastructure was part of a broader effort to reverse years of neglect that had left many primary healthcare centres and general hospitals with dilapidated infrastructure and inadequate equipment.
He noted that while government routinely committed hundreds of billions of naira to road infrastructure because of its importance to economic growth, comparable investments in health had historically been lacking.
“If you look at roads, there are hundreds of billions that are being awarded every day for roads, and they are very necessary for the economic growth of this country. But when it comes to investing in health, we’re not used to those major investments,” Pate said.
“Now we’re beginning to change that, and thanks to Mr President, as you hear from the Minister of Finance, as our economy continues to grow and as revenue continues to grow, inevitably we need to be spending more on health.”
The minister attributed the historical neglect of the health sector at both federal and state levels partly to inadequate government revenue.
“When we did not have the revenue, health had oftentimes been neglected, both by the federal government as well as states.
“When you go to primary healthcare centres or general hospitals, you tended to see decrepit infrastructure and no equipment. But these are things that we have to fix as a people,” he said.
Pate said the Federal Government was now committed to ensuring that approved resources were effectively deployed to transform the National Hospital and deliver a befitting cancer treatment and research centre at NICRAT.
“So now we are on that path, and so long as the resources are available, our goal is to ensure that they are executed, and that Nigerians can be able to see the transformation of the National Hospital as well as a befitting cancer centre here at NICRAT.”
According to Pate, FEC approved a dramatic overhaul of the National Hospital, Abuja, involving major new infrastructure and specialised clinical facilities.
He said the hospital, established about 25 years ago with a vision of becoming a quaternary healthcare centre, had not received the scale of infrastructural and equipment investment necessary to realise that objective.
According to him, the new approvals are in line with President Tinubu’s directive for bold investments in health infrastructure and equipment.
Among the approvals is the construction of a new administrative and management block at the National Hospital at a cost of about N18.74 billion, awarded to Visible Construction Limited.
Council also approved the construction of modular clinics and theatres for different medical specialties at the hospital at a cost of about N64.92 billion.
Pate said the investment was necessary because much of the National Hospital’s existing infrastructure had become outdated and was no longer befitting of a major national referral institution in the Federal Capital Territory.
“We need a modern National Hospital here in Abuja, where Nigerians from all over the country can be served, but also folks here in Abuja and the Federal Capital Territory can have a befitting place to receive the services”, he said.
Council further approved the construction of a high-end wing at the National Hospital at a cost of N103 billion, with a completion period of 24 months.
Another N69 billion contract was approved for the construction of a Neuroscience Institute at the hospital.
Pate said the Neuroscience Institute would provide dedicated infrastructure for neurosurgical, radiological, interventional and rehabilitative services required by patients suffering from strokes, brain tumours and other conditions affecting the brain and nervous system.
He said the scale of the investment reflected the administration’s determination to reverse years of inadequate funding of healthcare infrastructure.
“Ultimately, quality healthcare is not cheap. To have the healthcare system we need, Nigeria has to invest in it”, Pate said.
According to him, the cumulative investment approved for the National Hospital by the Tinubu administration represents an unprecedented intervention compared with what had been invested in the institution over much of its existence.
FEC also approved the development of a flagship National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment facility as part of the government’s efforts to expand cancer research, treatment, innovation and capacity building.
Pate recalled that the President had earlier approved the development and upgrading of world-class cancer centres, with three facilities in Katsina, Benin and Enugu already completed.
He said the latest approval would establish a major national institution dedicated to cancer research and treatment under the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).
Council approved the design, construction, furnishing, equipping, supervision and commissioning of the centre at a cost of about N302.3 billion, with a completion period of 36 months.
The contract was awarded to CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Limited.
Pate said appropriations for the project had been provided through the 2025 and 2026 budgets, while the procurement processes for both the cancer institute and National Hospital projects went through the Bureau of Public Procurement.
In another briefing, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Kingsley Udeh, said implementing the revised National Biotechnology Policy 2026, will position Nigeria to harness opportunities presented by the global bio-economy, enhance national competitiveness, attract investment, strengthen food and nutrition security, and accelerate sustainable economic growth.
He added that FEC approved the adoption and implementation of the policy as the national framework for the development, application, regulation, and commercialization of biotechnology in Nigeria.
According to him, the policy was approved to enable the country become a member of the Global Bioenergy Partnership through signing the attached Global Bioenergy Partnership Terms of Reference.
He said FEC approved designating the Energy Commission of Nigeria as the lead implementing agency for the Nigeria Bioenergy Partnership.
The council also approved periodic reporting on implementation progress through the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology as the coordinating ministry.
FEC also approved a comprehensive forensic audit of the Federal Government’s payroll, accounting and administrative systems as part of a fresh drive to uncover ghost workers, fake government agencies and other forms of payroll fraud.
The move followed revelations that about N9.5 trillion had been allocated to incremental salary and allowance payments, a figure the Federal Government said was significant enough to warrant a thorough review of the systems through which personnel and wage-related expenditures are processed.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, told newsmen that a major component of the exercise would be a comprehensive review of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to identify ghost workers, fraudulent personnel records and other irregularities.
The objective, he explained, was to ensure that government salaries and allowances were paid only to legitimate civil servants while protecting public funds from leakages.
According to the minister, the government’s wage bill has come under increased scrutiny because of the scale of resources committed to salaries and allowances.
He said eliminating fraudulent personnel and tightening payroll controls would help reduce unnecessary financial pressures, improve fiscal management and ensure that public resources were deployed to genuine government functions.
Oyedele also disclosed that the Council considered a serious administrative and security breach involving the creation of fake agencies within the federal government.
He said unauthorised individuals had succeeded in creating a fraudulent entity that obtained both administrative and Treasury Single Account (TSA) codes, although no funds were eventually disbursed to the fake agency.
The minister described the incident as a collective failure of government systems, noting that it exposed vulnerabilities in both administrative and accounting processes.
He said the development came to light following an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which submitted its findings to President Tinubu.
According to Oyedele, the ICPC investigation showed that the fraud went beyond a purported presidential welfare system, with the existence of a fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and other fictitious agencies also uncovered.
He said the findings prompted the President to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, in collaboration with the Minister of Finance, to engage professional audit firms to conduct a forensic evaluation of the affected systems.
Oyedele said the exercise would identify existing loopholes, establish how unauthorised entities were able to obtain government codes and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
“The objective is to identify existing lapses, plug vulnerabilities and prevent future occurrences of such national embarrassments by strengthening oversight across all governmental institutions”.
He stressed that the fact that the fake entities had obtained official administrative and TSA codes, even without receiving government funds, represented a major vulnerability that could not be ignored.
According to him, the forensic audit would therefore go beyond the specific fraudulent entities already identified to examine the broader systems and processes that made the breach possible.
Oyedele further disclosed that the government was concerned that some of the weaknesses uncovered might have existed for longer than the tenure of the present administration.
“There is a concern that these systemic vulnerabilities may have existed for longer than the current administration’s tenure.”
The minister, however, said the government would allow the forensic audit to establish the full extent of the lapses and determine appropriate corrective measures.
The exercise, he said, would complement ongoing efforts to clean up the Federal Government’s payroll, strengthen accountability and ensure that only legitimate personnel and properly constituted government institutions have access to official administrative and financial systems.