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The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr Sonny Echono, has identified corruption, nepotism, and political interference as major obstacles to effective governance in public universities in Nigeria.

He warned that the growing influence of non-merit factors in the appointment of vice chancellors is undermining academic excellence and institutional development.

Echono stated this while presenting findings from his doctoral research titled ‘Leadership Selection Process and Governance of Federal Universities in Nigeria (1993-2024)’ during a public lecture held at the University of Abuja.

The study, conducted over three years across 20 federal universities in the country’s six geopolitical zones, examined the relationship between leadership selection processes and governance outcomes in higher institutions.

According to Echono, the research established a strong positive correlation between transparent, inclusive leadership selection and effective university governance.

He noted that institutions that prioritise accountability, stakeholder engagement, and merit-based appointments tend to achieve better governance outcomes, improved institutional stability, and enhanced academic performance.

‘The research clearly demonstrates that transparent and inclusive leadership selection processes are critical to effective governance in our federal universities. Institutions that prioritise accountability and stakeholder engagement consistently record better governance outcomes and stronger institutional stability,’ he said.

He, however, lamented that political interference, nepotism, and corruption continue to compromise the integrity of leadership appointments in universities, thereby weakening governance structures and limiting institutional progress.

‘Political interference, nepotism, and corruption remain among the greatest threats to good governance in our universities. When leadership appointments are influenced by factors other than merit and competence, the entire institution suffers,’ Echono stated.

The TETFund boss recalled that Nigerian universities once operated a more competitive and merit-driven system where vice-chancellors were often appointed outside their states of origin, a practice that promoted national integration and reduced ethnic considerations.

He expressed concern that the increasing localisation of vice-chancellor appointments and preference for candidates with political connections have narrowed the pool of qualified candidates and weakened university autonomy.

Echono further noted that leaders who emerge through credible and transparent selection processes are more likely to promote research productivity, innovation, sound financial management, and collaboration among scholars.

The study also found that federal universities that actively engage stakeholders, including students, academic staff, alumni, and host communities, in leadership selection demonstrate stronger accountability, greater public trust, and improved governance effectiveness.

To address the challenges identified, Echono recommended the development and enforcement of clear, standardised guidelines for leadership appointments across federal universities.

He said such guidelines should clearly outline appointment procedures, qualification requirements, and mechanisms for stakeholder participation.

He also called for greater stakeholder involvement through the establishment of inclusive search committees comprising representatives of faculty, students, alumni, and industry stakeholders.

According to him, leadership vacancies should be publicly advertised, while technology-driven platforms such as online application systems, electronic voting mechanisms, virtual town hall meetings, and digital archiving should be adopted to enhance transparency and accountability.

The TETFund Executive Secretary further advocated regular independent audits of leadership selection exercises and effective feedback mechanisms that would enable stakeholders to report concerns and grievances.

‘Accountability must remain at the heart of university governance. Regular audits and credible feedback mechanisms are essential safeguards against abuse, manipulation, and violations of established procedures,’ he said.

Echono expressed confidence that implementing the recommendations would strengthen governance structures, improve educational outcomes, and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s higher education system.

Earlier, the vice chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, stressed the need for merit-based leadership and institutional reforms in Nigerian universities.

He cautioned that the increasing politicisation of vice-chancellor appointments by some governing councils poses a serious threat to university autonomy and effective governance.

Also speaking, the director of the Abuja Leadership Centre, Professor Abdulhamid Ozohu-Suleiman, said the centre was established by TETFund to promote leadership excellence and strengthen governance culture in the country.

The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) is a major haulage group operating in and out of the Apapa and Tin-Can Ports in Lagos. In this interview with newsmen, the General Secretary of AMATO, Alhaji Sani Bala Muhammed, speaks on the state of truck transit parks around Lagos ports, abuse of the electronic call-up system, the need for modern truck marshalling yards, and why port corridor congestion persists. TOLA ADENUBI brings the excerpts.

What is the current status of truck transit parks serving the Apapa and Tin-Can ports?

We have several truck transit parks linked to the electronic call-up system. These are the facilities where trucks are arranged, programmed, and released into the ports on a first-come, first-served basis. There are many of them spread across Apapa and Tin Can Port corridors. Some are public while others are privately owned. Examples of public parks include Lillypond Truck Transit Park, Tincan-approved parks and other facilities connected to the call-up system. Some are located within the port environment, while others are situated farther away.

Despite the cleanup of the port corridors, why are some truckers still avoiding the transit parks?

The major reason is the loopholes that currently exist within the call-up system’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Some people are able to obtain what we call direct or express call-ups, which allow them to access the ports without passing through the normal process of entering the transit park, proceeding to the pre-gate, and then waiting for their turn. What happens is that some individuals generate these direct call-ups and sell them to the highest bidders. Those who buy them gain immediate access to the ports. When truckers who are following the approved procedure spend one or two weeks waiting in transit parks and pre-gates, only to see others bypass the process, they become discouraged. Many then decide to stop using the transit parks and instead seek these direct call-ups. That is one of the major reasons some truckers are boycotting the approved process.

There have been discussions about establishing modern truck transit parks with rest facilities for drivers. What progress has been made?

AMATO has been actively involved in that project and we are still pursuing it. We are working closely with the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy through the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to accelerate the acquisition of 15 truck marshalling yards. The proposal is for government to acquire the land and establish proper truck marshalling facilities capable of accommodating large numbers of trucks.

How will the truck marshalling yards improve traffic management?

They will significantly reduce indiscriminate parking along the port corridors. Currently, before some trucks are allowed into the pre-gates, they often wait along the roads. Tankers and cargo trucks can be seen occupying different sections of the corridor. A properly developed truck marshalling yard would absorb these trucks. Instead of parking on roadsides and unauthorised locations, they would remain within designated facilities until called forward. This would free up the roads and improve traffic flow significantly.

Will tanker operators also be integrated into this arrangement?

Yes. There are ongoing plans to onboard tanker operators into the call-up framework. The objective is to ensure that tankers also operate on a booking system where they enter approved parks and only proceed to their assigned depots when called. This would eliminate the current practice of tankers parking indiscriminately along major roads while waiting to access depots.

Why is it important to bring tanker operators into the call-up system?

The current situation creates serious traffic challenges. Many tankers park along roads leading to depots, forming double and sometimes triple lanes. This obstructs traffic, inconveniences other road users and contributes significantly to gridlock. Beyond traffic concerns, it also affects port operations because trucks that need to access the ports cannot move freely due to these obstructions. Integrating tanker operators into the call-up system would ensure orderly movement and improve overall traffic management.

Do tanker operators currently have dedicated truck parks?

Very few. The major one I am aware of is the facility located under Marine Bridge. Beyond that, there are limited dedicated facilities for tanker operations. That is why efforts are being made to bring them into a structured parking and scheduling arrangement.

Some truck parks have been established in areas such as Lekki, yet operators are not fully utilising them. Why?

The process of bringing all stakeholders into the system is still ongoing. There is a need for continuous engagement and enforcement to ensure compliance. As more operators are onboarded and the system becomes more transparent, utilisation of approved truck parks will improve.

What recommendations would you give for the effective utilisation of truck transit parks in the country?

The existing transit parks are largely inadequate. What we need is a large-scale truck marshalling yard system that can accommodate more trucks and improve coordination. However, even if we establish all 15 proposed marshalling yards, the problem will persist if the loopholes within the call-up system are not addressed. The key issue is compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure. If people continue to abuse the system and obtain direct call-ups outside the approved process, trucks will continue to gather along the port corridors waiting for opportunities to bypass the queue. But if the SOP is strictly enforced and everyone follows the same process, there will be no need for trucks to park on roads waiting for call-ups.

Recently, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) carried out interventions that helped clear the Lagos port corridors. Why do you think the efforts are now futile due to the resurgence of traffic congestion around the ports?

Following the intervention and clean-up operations, some of the checkpoints along the port corridors were dismantled. However, we later observed that certain practices that contribute to congestion gradually began resurfacing, which necessitated further monitoring and enforcement efforts. There were concerns that some checkpoints and activities capable of creating artificial bottlenecks could undermine the gains already achieved. Such situations can contribute to delays in cargo evacuation, increase truck turnaround time, and ultimately affect the efficiency of port operations. As an association, our responsibility is to report observations and concerns to the appropriate authorities for necessary action. We have continued to escalate such issues whenever they arise. It is important to note that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), following the PEBEC intervention, has continued with follow-up enforcement operations to sustain the gains achieved during the corridor clean-up exercise. Similarly, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of the Maritime Command has also been actively involved in monitoring activities along the port corridors. The authorities regularly carry out inspections to ensure that unauthorised checkpoints do not re-emerge and that stakeholders comply with established procedures.

So, it is safe to believe that the resurgence of traffic is linked solely to checkpoints and compromised Standard Operating Procedure?

While unauthorised checkpoints can contribute to delays, the bigger issue remains compliance with the port access Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). As long as loopholes exist that allow some operators to bypass the approved call-up process, congestion will persist. To achieve lasting sanity on the port corridors, all stakeholders must comply with the established procedures, and enforcement agencies must ensure that no individual or group is allowed to circumvent the system. That is the only way to sustain the gains recorded after the PEBEC intervention and prevent a return to the era of severe gridlock around the ports.