Tinubu orders transfer of recovered loots, unclaimed dividends to NELFUND
FEC okays N610b road projects, others
All legally cleared and unencumbered funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will be channeled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to strengthen student financing.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave the directive yesterday.
He also directed that resources in the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund and Dormant Accounts Trust Fund be mobilised for NELFUND, subject to compliance with the laws governing the funds.
These are part of the decisions taken at yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.
The Council also approved a proposal to decriminalise attempted suicide, ordered a five-year strategic defence plan and approved major road, housing, health, energy and biotechnology projects.
The Council approved about N610 billion for road infrastructure and 600 housing units for Armed Forces personnel, while health projects valued at about N558 billion were also approved.
Other decisions are approval of a National Bioenergy Strategic Plan to improve energy access, a revised National Biotechnology Policy, the establishment of an academy for gifted and talented Nigerian children and an entrepreneurship and innovation programme in 14 federal universities.
Recovered loot to fund student loans
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa announced the decision on NELFUND funding while briefing reporters after the meeting.
He clarified that only liquid funds legally recovered by the EFCC and no longer subject to litigation would be transferred to NELFUND.
Seized properties, assets and funds still encumbered by court cases, he said, would not be affected.
According to Alausa, the President directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance, Ministry of Education, Debt Management Office and other relevant agencies to develop the legal and operational framework for the transfer.
The Attorney-General, he added, would work with the EFCC Chairman to identify recovered funds 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,” Alausa said.
He said the government would also examine the legislation governing unclaimed dividends and dormant accounts to determine how their resources could lawfully be made available to NELFUND.
The minister said the decision would give the student loan scheme a more sustainable funding base as demand continued to rise.
He said more than 1.5 million students were currently benefiting from NELFUND, which had disbursed more than N93 billion in upkeep allowances and over N250 billion in institutional fees to public tertiary institutions.
Alausa said the President considered education one of the most productive uses for recovered public funds, particularly as the administration seeks to develop the human capital needed to drive its ambition of growing the Nigerian economy to $1 trillion.
He also said complaints about institutions withholding refunds from students who had paid their fees before NELFUND subsequently remitted the money had been addressed through a framework requiring affected institutions to refund students within a stipulated period.
N118b for
National Library
FEC approved an augmentation of about N118.31 billion for completion of the long-abandoned National Library of Nigeria headquarters complex in Abuja, alongside about N37 billion for furnishing.
Alausa said the project began on April 29, 2006, with a two-year completion schedule, but was abandoned after work stopped in October 2008.
He said Tinubu had directed the ministry to mobilise resources, including funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), to revive the project.
He also acknowledged the contribution of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, whose appeal for birthday gifts to be redirected to the project raised about N25 billion.
The minister said construction was expected to resume within the next few months.
Academy for gifted children, innovation programme
FEC also approved the transformation of Suleja Academy into the Nigerian Academy for the Gifted and Talented.
Alausa said Suleja Academy was originally established to identify and nurture exceptionally gifted children but had gradually operated like a conventional Federal Government College.
Under the new arrangement, the institution will have an autonomous governing structure and diversified funding sources, including federal appropriation, endowments and donations.
The Attorney-General has been directed to prepare an executive bill 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 said.
FEC also approved an Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Incubation Certification programme for 14 federal universities.
The technology-driven initiative, already tested at the University of Lagos, is designed to provide students with entrepreneurship, innovation, enterprise development and digital skills, alongside mentorship and incubation support.
The participating universities include Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Abuja, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, University of Ilorin, University of Jos, University of Lagos, University of Maiduguri, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Port Harcourt and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
FEC moves to decriminalise
attempted suicide
In another major decision, FEC approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act to decriminalise attempted suicide and replace punishment with medical and psychosocial care.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the executive bill would be transmitted to the National Assembly to remove colonial-era provisions that criminalise attempted suicide under the Criminal Code and Penal Code.
Pate said available World Health Organisation figures indicated that more than 7,000 Nigerians die by suicide annually, while about 300,000 attempts are recorded every year.
He added that more than 450,000 Nigerians require psychosocial support annually, describing the criminalisation of attempted suicide as a barrier to people seeking help.
“The idea is that attempting suicide is not a crime,” he said.
The proposed amendment would treat people who attempt suicide as persons requiring medical intervention, counselling, rehabilitation and psychosocial support rather than prosecution.
Pate said the Federal Government was targeting a 15 per cent reduction in suicide incidence by 2030.
He said the reform followed consultations with mental health advocates and other stakeholders and work by a task force established after the House of Representatives supported decriminalisation.
The amendment must, however, be approved by the National Assembly before the existing legal provisions can be changed.
Tinubu orders five-year defence strategy
Tinubu also ordered the preparation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to provide a unified framework for Nigeria’s response to security threats.
The President constituted a high-level committee of defence, intelligence and security chiefs and gave it 90 days to complete the assignment and submit its recommendations.
The committee will be coordinated by the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Famadewa.
Its members include National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; Defence Minister Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Chief of Naval Staff Idi Abbas; DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Muhammed Muhammed.
Tinubu said the framework would give security agencies a common understanding of the threats confronting the country, the operational objectives required to tackle them and the capabilities needed.
He cited the recent rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State as evidence of what effective inter-agency cooperation could achieve.
The National Threat Assessment will identify and rank security threats, while the five-year plan will translate them into operational priorities, equipment requirements, capability gaps and implementation timelines.
The approved framework is also expected to guide multi-year defence expenditure and procurement.
N610b road projects, 600 military homes approved
FEC get approval for contracts and public-private partnership concessions valued at more than N610 billion for major federal road projects across the country.
The Council also approved the direct purchase of 600 four-bedroom terrace duplexes at Bristol City Development, Life Camp, Abuja, for Armed Forces personnel.
Minister of State for Works Bello Mohammed Goronyo said the Council ratified a N159.826 billion contract for reconstruction of the Ado-Ekiti–Iyin–Aramoko–Itawure–Osun State border road.
The project, awarded to CBC Global Civil & Building Construction Nigeria Limited, has a 24-month completion period and includes 7.5 per cent VAT.
Council also ratified a N54.118 billion variation/change order for rehabilitation of the road project.
Goronyo said the PPP concessions were designed to mobilise private capital and expertise for the development, operation and maintenance of critical federal highways, reducing pressure on public finances.
The projects are expected to improve interstate connectivity, reduce travel time and transport costs and facilitate the movement of agricultural and manufactured goods.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development Muttaqha Rabe Darma said the 600 housing units approved for military personnel were part of a wider programme targeting 10,000 homes for the Armed Forces.
He recalled that FEC had previously approved 1,556 units at Deidei in the Federal Capital Territory, bringing the total number approved so far to 2,156.
Darma said the initiative reflected Tinubu’s commitment to improving the welfare and living conditions of military personnel.
Bioenergy plan, biotechnology policy approved
FEC approved a National Bioenergy Strategic Plan aimed at using Nigeria’s abundant biomass and biological resources to improve energy access and energy sufficiency.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Kingsley Udeh said the Energy Commission of Nigeria would lead implementation of the plan, with relevant ministries and agencies working under an inter-ministerial framework.
He said Nigeria had substantial biomass and bioresources capable of being converted into energy but lacked a coordinated national structure for maximising the opportunity.
The Council also approved the Nigeria Biotechnology Partnership to strengthen international collaboration and investment in biotechnology and bioenergy.
Udeh said FEC further approved the Revised National Biotechnology Policy 2026, replacing the policy adopted in 2001.
N558b health projects okayed
FEC approved health projects worth about N558 billion, including a comprehensive overhaul of the National Hospital, Abuja, and a N302.3 billion National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.
Pate said about N255.66 billion of the approvals would be devoted to upgrading the National Hospital.
They include N18.74 billion for a new administrative and management block, N64.92 billion for modular clinics and theatres, N103 billion for a high-end wing and N69 billion for a Neuroscience Institute.
He said the interventions were designed to transform the hospital, established about 25 years ago, into a modern quaternary healthcare institution capable of providing highly specialised services.
The Neuroscience Institute will provide specialised services in neurosurgery, radiology, interventional procedures and rehabilitation for patients with strokes, brain tumours and other neurological conditions.
FEC also approved N302.3 billion for the design, construction, furnishing, equipping, supervision and commissioning of a National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.
The project, awarded to CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Limited, has a 36-month completion period.
Pate said the facility would strengthen cancer research, treatment and training and complement cancer centres already completed in Katsina, Benin and Enugu.
He said the projects had passed through the required procurement processes and received clearances from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The minister acknowledged the financing challenges involved but said Nigeria could no longer postpone critical investments in healthcare infrastructure because of their cost.
According to him, the projects are expected to expand access to specialist care, reduce medical tourism and help retain skilled doctors and other health professionals by providing them with modern facilities and equipment.
FEC also approved an executive bill for the establishment of a National Centre for Oral Health as a national referral, training and research institution.
Pate said the proposed centre would provide the legal and institutional framework for specialised oral healthcare, training and research and address gaps in Nigeria’s health architecture.
He said the proposed legislation followed recommendations dating back to 1982 for the establishment of a specialised oral health research and training centre.
The minister said strengthening oral healthcare was important because several diseases could be detected through proper oral examination and treatment.
The decisions taken at Wednesday’s FEC meeting collectively underline the administration’s emphasis on education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, energy and human-capital development as pillars of its development agenda.