The Federal Ministry of Education has announced the rollout of the upgraded Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and its integration with the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications, and Services (TERAS) platform to strengthen digital connectivity, research collaboration, and innovation across Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the NgREN–TERAS integration as a major milestone in the Ministry’s efforts to modernize teaching, learning, and research through technology, data, and institutional collaboration.
Dr. Alausa explained that the renewed NgREN will function as a high-speed national education network connecting universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and research institutions on a shared digital platform that supports e-learning, cloud computing, and research services. He said the initiative is a key part of the Ministry’s vision for a technology-driven education sector that promotes collaboration, data sharing, and access to advanced learning tools.
According to the Minister, the integration aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to build a knowledge-based economy anchored on innovation, transparency, and digital inclusion.
He further noted that the integration of NgREN with the TERAS platform will create a unified digital ecosystem linking institutions to research databases, online learning platforms, plagiarism detection systems, high-performance computing resources, and institutional analytics. Dr. Alausa commended the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for their leadership, emphasizing that the collaboration will make digital infrastructure the backbone of Nigeria’s tertiary education and ensure cost-effective access to quality academic services.
Dr. Alausa also revealed that the upgraded network, supported by the World Bank through the SPESSE and ACE Impact projects, features modern digital facilities including cloud data centers, e-libraries, and campus-wide Wi-Fi. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to sustaining the initiative through continued partnerships, innovation, and investment in digital learning environments that will make Nigeria’s tertiary institutions globally competitive.
Providing an overview of the project, Dr. Joshua Attah of the NUC explained that the NgREN is more than an Internet Service Provider—it is a collaborative platform connecting universities and research institutions to shared digital services and international research networks. He noted that the ongoing review, directed by the Minister, focuses on expanding connectivity, improving reliability, and establishing a sustainable governance framework to support e-learning, data analytics, and research-driven innovation.
Similarly, Mr. Joseph Odo of TETFund presented the TETFund–TERAS convergence services, which aim to enhance access to research and digital learning tools for staff and students across tertiary institutions. He outlined several digital services available through TERAS, including a federated academic repository, EagleScan plagiarism checker, online learning platforms, digital literacy programs, and access to academic journals and databases.
Mr. Odo added that the integration with NgREN will ensure improved bandwidth, reliable connectivity, and seamless access to digital tools through a unified gateway. He announced that the pilot phase of the integration will commence in 2025, involving selected universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The launch of the NgREN–TERAS integration marks a significant advancement in Nigeria’s digital education transformation. With this initiative, the Federal Ministry of Education is setting a new benchmark for digital access, collaboration, and innovation in tertiary education—laying a strong foundation for research excellence, national development, and global competitiveness.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
