Athena Centre Commends Launch of National University Transparency Platform

The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has commended the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for establishing the Federal Tertiary Institution Governance and Transparency Platform (FTIGTP)—a transformative milestone in Nigeria’s quest to institutionalise accountability and openness across the higher education system.

The official launch of the initiative took place on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at The Podium, 2nd Floor, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Secretariat Complex, Central Area, Abuja.

The event was attended by the Honourable Minister of State for Education, vice chancellors, rectors, provosts, and senior officials of the Ministry of Education. The newly launched platform provides a centralised, real-time database of financial and institutional data from all federal tertiary institutions, including student enrolment, TETFund disbursements, NELFund interventions, and key governance indicators.

Speaking at the event, Osita Chidoka, Chancellor of the Athena Centre, noted that the initiative was directly inspired by the findings of the Athena Governance Insight Report, which uncovered widespread non-disclosure and weak accountability systems within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. He stated that the study revealed that none of the 63 universities surveyed had published comprehensive financial statements or audit reports — a situation that severely undermined stakeholder trust, donor confidence, and global competitiveness.

He praised the Minister of Education, noting that “Dr Alausa’s decisive response to those findings exemplifies the leadership Nigeria needs, one that respects evidence, values collaboration, and delivers results. His swift action in mandating public disclosure of financial and institutional data, followed by the creation of this platform, underscores his deep respect for research-driven governance and strong implementation capacity.”

The Chancellor of the Athena Centre praised Dr Alausa’s profound respect for evidence and strong implementation capacity, describing the launch as “a defining moment for policy-driven reform in Nigeria.”

 “What the Minister has done is exemplary,” Chidoka said. “He has shown that when evidence meets leadership, reform becomes inevitable. This is a model of governance that listens to data and acts decisively. Activism rooted in evidence works — and this is living proof.”

In his address, Dr Tunji Alausa reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency and governance reform, announcing that future government funding and intervention programmes will now be tied to compliance with the new reporting standards. The minister emphasised that the platform “marks the beginning of a new accountability culture across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions” and lauded the Athena Centre for its pivotal role in generating the evidence that informed this policy shift.

The Athena Centre reaffirmed its commitment to providing non-partisan, evidence-based research that shapes policy and strengthens national institutions. The Centre will continue working with the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and other stakeholders to ensure sustained compliance through ongoing monitoring and the establishment of an Annual University Transparency Index.