The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund
(TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, has reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to
strengthening ties with the National Defence College (NDC) in areas of
strategic research, national security studies, and capacity development. He
stated this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the NDC to the TETFund
headquarters in Abuja.
Welcoming the delegation, Echono highlighted TETFund’s
expanding role in bridging the gap between academia, public institutions, and
national development priorities. He noted that TETFund has developed strong
partnerships not only within the traditional education sector but also across
research institutions and security-focused agencies.
“TETFund has become one of the most visible and trusted
agencies in Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape. We are deliberately forging
strategic alliances with the private sector, defence institutions, and policy
think tanks to ensure that research outputs from our institutions are deployed
to solve real national challenges,” he said.
Echono emphasized that the Fund recently created a dedicated
thematic area for Defence and Security Studies under its National Research Fund
to support collaborative research between academia and security agencies.
“We’ve worked with the Nigerian Defence Academy and all tri-service
institutions, and we are excited to now formalize collaboration with the
National Defence College. Your role in research and policy advisory aligns
perfectly with our goals,” he added.
He further commended the military for its service and
sacrifice, reiterating TETFund’s appreciation and support for the Armed Forces’
contributions to national security. “Each time we interact with the defence
sector, we are reminded of the enormous sacrifices our men and women in uniform
make daily. It is only fitting that we also support the institutions that train
them to lead and protect,” he said.
Echono also encouraged the College to continue interrogating
pressing national issues through research and strategic studies. “The
challenges of insurgency, communal conflict, and national cohesion remain top
concerns. Institutions like the NDC are well positioned to generate actionable
insights that can guide policymaking and strengthen national unity,” he said.
Speaking earlier, a representative of the NDC Commandant,
Rear Admiral James Okosu—who was unavoidably absent due to a ministerial
engagement—expressed appreciation for TETFund’s support and interest in the
College’s strategic mission.
He noted that the NDC remains Nigeria’s apex military
training institution, focused on developing senior officers and top government
officials in strategic leadership, Defence, and security studies.
“Our training is both academic and practical. Each year, the
President assigns a national theme for research, and we present our findings to
him directly. We also conduct national and international study tours that
compare Nigeria’s systems with global best practices and offer recommendations
to relevant stakeholders,” he said.
He explained that participants at the College include senior
military officers and high-level officials from Ministries, Departments, and
Agencies—particularly from Defence, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence Services, and
even parastatals like JAMB.
He added that the College is keen on fostering stronger
institutional ties with TETFund, particularly in research and capacity-building
areas. “We believe there is much to be achieved by working closely with
TETFund, and we invite you to join us next week for the presentation of this
year’s Presidential Research Paper. This would offer further insight into our
work and how it aligns with national goals.”
The visit concluded with mutual commitments to further
collaboration between both institutions in support of national security,
research, and strategic policy development.
ADEOLA KUNLE
