Prof. Abdullateef Oladimeji, Vice- Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, the first Islamic faith-based university in Nigeria, has appealed to the Federal Government to review the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) law now.
Oladimeji, who was speaking with reporters in Ilorin described the exclusion of private universities from the TETFund as, unjust and counterproductive, while calling on Federal Government to include them.
The Vice- Chancellor noted that the current legal framework bars private institutions from accessing TETFund despite their indirect contributions through taxes paid by the organised private sector.
“It is unfortunate that funds sourced partly from the organised private sector exclude private universities from benefiting. We are part of that ecosystem,” he said.
Oladimeji said stakeholders were intensifying efforts to persuade the National Assembly to amend the Act to accommodate private universities.
“All that is required is a review of the relevant clause to allow inclusion in the disbursement framework,” he added.
The vice-chancellor acknowledged that limited access to intervention funds has continued to strain research financing in private universities.
According to him, Al-Hikmah has relied on institutional linkages and partnerships to attract research grants, though the inflow remains inadequate.
“We leverage collaborations and networks to secure research funding, but the resources are still not sufficient,” the Vice- Chancellor said.
Oladimeji, who assumed office in July 2025, said his administration is implementing a 10-point agenda focused on strategic growth, improved welfare, research expansion, institutional ranking and revenue diversification.
He said that the university is strengthening its entrepreneurship programme to, ensure graduates leave with registered businesses.
“Our goal is to produce graduates who are job creators, not job seekers. Each student is expected to have a functional, registered enterprise before graduation,” Oladimeji said.
The vice-chancellor attributed the institution’s smooth leadership transition to a structured succession process, noting that he emerged from a pool of 23 candidates without controversy.
On research collaboration, he said the university is affiliated with several academic consortia across Africa and Europe, facilitating joint research and conference participation.
Oladimeji said that dozens of lecturers are scheduled to attend local and international conferences in the coming months, backed by budgetary provisions for research support.
He said the university continues to expand its community outreach through health education, rural support initiatives and regular engagement programmes.
Oladimeji also highlighted improvements in ICT infrastructure, including a 450-capacity CBT centre and upgraded bandwidth to support round-the-clock connectivity and emerging digital learning tools.
On campus security, he said a centralised structure coordinates safety operations across the institution’s campuses.
Al-Hikmah University, the first Islamic faith-based university in Nigeria, was established in 2005 and has grown its academic profile through investments in research, infrastructure and community service.
