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Becoming a first time parent has its moments, the magical ones and the bittersweet ones, but every moment will definitely be one you’ll treasure forever. From when you get to hold them in your arms and feel them on your chest, you know you’ll do everything for this little one. Holding them by your chest or most commonly known as skin-to-skin contact has a fair share of scientifically proven benefits for both the parents and the child, from emotional, physical, and psychological well-being.

Many parents often thought that this is just a delivery-room tradition, but this practice can be extended beyond those precious first hours. Some simple tools like wraps and carriers or even those with infant carrier head support can be of help in maintaining closeness. They also provide the warmth and security that skin to skin contact gives. In this article we’ll talk about how the parents and child benefits from skin-to-skin contact

What Exactly Is Skin-to-Skin Contact?

As the name of this practice suggests, skin to skin contact means gently holding your baby naked (except for a diaper or a hat) directly onto your bare chest. To keep your baby warm you can also drape a blanket or cloth over the both of you.

You might think that this is just a simple act to provide heat for your child and establish a bond. But it has far greater benefits, it helps regulate your baby’s temperature, their heart rate, and even their breathing. Aside from this it also provides comfort from your familiar smell and heartbeat. This practice is highly encouraged after birth, but it can and should be also continued at home in the early months.

The Incredible Benefits for Your Baby

A lot of babies can be seen thriving when given more frequent skin to skin contact, according to numerous research. Here are some notable benefits that babies get:

Improved breastfeeding – more successful feedings are observed when babies are more frequently held skin-to-skin.

Temperature regulation – Holding your baby by your chest helps them adjust temperature as your body acts as a natural warmer for them.

Enhanced sleep – Babies tend to fall asleep faster and for longer hours after skin-to-skin sessions.

Stabilized breathing and heart rates – skin-to-skin sessions help the baby’s transition to the outside world more smoothly.

For babies who were born pre-term or with low-birth weight, skin-to-skin contact is even more critical, this supports their development more than any machine could do.

The Positive Impact on Parents

The benefits of skin-to-skin contact are commonly focused on the advantages for babies, but it is equally powerful for parents. Whenever a parent holds their child this way, it encourages the release of oxytocin that strengthens the emotional bonds and reduces stress for parents.

Some mothers also notice an improved milk production and faster postpartum recovery; on the other hand, it also provides confidence for fathers or partners with caregiving. This is more than just about nurturing the baby but about really building a family connection.

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Do It

Skin-to-skin contact can be safely done at home as well and not only in a hospital environment. If you’re ready to start today, we’ll share tips to safely do it at home:

Prepare a safe and comfortable space – a warm, quiet area at home is ideal. A place where you won’t be easily interrupted or distracted.

Undress your baby – you can leave on their diaper and a soft hat.

Remove your shirt or expose your chest area – place your baby in an upright position between your breasts or against your chest.

Cover up – to maintain warmth, drape a blanket or cloth on both of you.

Relax and enjoy – this time focus on your baby’s gentle movement and calm your breathing.

Sessions can last from 20 minutes to an hour but will still depend on your baby’s needs and your comfort.

Beyond the Delivery Room: Making It a Regular Practice

Skin-to-skin contact magic doesn’t need to stop after the first day of childbirth. It’s ideal for parents to weave this into daily routines, like times before naps, after feedings, or just during quiet bonding time.

Carriers with breathable fabric and infant carrier with head support makes it possible to extend these benefits even while moving around. Technically, it isn’t really skin-to-skin, but it gives that closeness and the similar emotional comfort that babies feel in skin-to-skin contact. But the key here is consistency, making this as a practice that naturally fits into your family’s lifestyle and needs helps a lot in continuing the practice in the early months.

The Science Behind the Magic

You may still wonder why does skin to skin contact works so well? The answer lies deep in biology. The warmth and the pressure that your body provides help stimulate your baby’s vagus nerve, this regulates critical functions of your child’s body like heart rate, digestion and your stress response.

In turn, for parents, oxytocin helps lower cortisol levels and deepens attachment, skin to skin contact also creates a calming effect. The provided hormonal harmony reinforces the strengthening of the natural bond between parent and child; this paves the way for your child’s healthier development.

Kangaroo Care: A Lifeline for Premature Babies

Skin to skin contact becomes more vital when it comes with preterm infants. Commonly known as ‘Kangaroo care,’ this prolonged chest-to-chest holding, supports fragile babies who cannot self-regulate their body systems yet.

This method is highly encouraged around a lot of hospitals for preterm babies because of these reasons:

Help in boosting weight gain and growth rates.

Enhances bonding despite some medical intervention

Reduced time in neonatal intensive care

In these cases, the power of healing and touch is truly lifesaving.

Building a Lasting Bond: The Emotional Connection

Undeniably, the greatest gift of skin-to-skin contact is the bond that it helps form and strengthen. Babies who get to experience being carried this way feel safe, secured, and loved. This is a great foundation that helps shape the emotional development well into their childhood. These calming moments are also grounding for parents, especially in this whole whirlwind of new parenthood.

As babies grow, the definition of strengthening the bond becomes different, it evolves into cuddles, play and conversations. But the trust and connection are deeply rooted from the skin-to-skin contact in early childhood.

Conclusion

From creating and strengthening the emotional bond, to regulating your baby’s body temperature, skin to skin contact is the simplest yet most powerful tool and practice that provides lifelong benefits. From the delivery room, at home, or through ongoing routines supported by carriers and accessories like infant carrier head support, the power of touch is something that can never be underestimated.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to mobilise students to occupy federal highways across the 36 states and the FCT should federal government agencies, trade unions, or foreign collaborators continue on the path of sabotage, as it vows to defend the survival of the Nigerian economy and the dignity of the nation.

The association made its position known when its members demonstrated in Asaba on Wednesday against what it called petroleum industry revitalisation sabotage as a result of the face-off between the Dangote Group and PENGASSAN.

The students carried different inscriptions such as ‘We need progress, we can’t be great by destroying greatness’; ‘Youths stand with Dangote – Future at stake’; and ‘Economic freedom starts with local refineries, support indigenous industries, not imported monopoly.’

According to Comrade Olushola Oladoja, President, National Association of Nigerian Students, the Nigerian students’ movement stands firmly on the side of industrial growth, job creation, and more independence, adding that ‘we will not fold our arms while internal saboteurs destroy the hope of a new Nigeria.’

The president, who was represented by the National Financial Secretary of the association, Comrade Jeremiah Friday Ohomah, said the destruction of the textile industry must never be repeated in the petroleum sector.

He said the Dangote Refinery and other private refineries represent a new dawn in Nigeria’s industrial revival, which he argued must be protected, supported, and sustained by all means.

‘The latest manifestation of this conspiracy is the unconstitutional attempt by PENGASSAN to impose union membership on workers of the Dangote Refinery.

‘This is an act of coercion and a direct violation of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees freedom of association – including the freedom not to join any association.

‘Private refinery workers have every right to choose their form of representation or to remain un-unionised.

‘After all, academic staff in private universities are not compelled to join ASUU, lecturers in private polytechnics are not under ASUP, and teachers in private colleges of education are not members of COEASU.

‘This imposition is, therefore, a calculated attempt to frustrate Dangote Refinery and other emerging private investments in the sector, and NANS will resist it with every legitimate means.

‘It is on record that the collapse of Nigeria’s national refineries was not merely due to poor maintenance but deliberate acts of sabotage by entrenched interests.’

The association therefore demanded, amongst others, priority crude supply to Nigerian refineries, an end to crude undervaluation to foreign refineries, less priority on petroleum product importation at the expense of locally refined petroleum products by indigenous refineries, protection of private investment, freedom of association, and the cessation of union harassment and industrial blackmail.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ruled that it is unlawful for Transnational Energy Limited to remove Dr Funmi Olawepo as a shareholder and a director of the company.

The case, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1652/2021, presided over by Honourable Justice G. K. Olotu, has Dr Funmi Olawepo as the plaintiff, Transnational Energy Limited as the first defendant, and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as the second defendant.

In the suit, the seven reliefs sought by Dr Olawepo included, among other things, a declaration of her shares in Transnational Energy as personal, a declaration that Transnational Energy cannot remove her a shareholder and a director without her consent, and an order for Transnational Energy to pay her N300 million for breach of contract for unlawfully removing her name from CAC records as a shareholder and a director without her consent and knowledge.

In a ruling dated March 20th, 2025, Justice Olotu adjudged that a director who believes that they have been wrongfully removed, like in this case, can seek legal remedies, including claims for breach of contract and compensation for loss of office.

‘In my humble view, the actions of the 1st Defendant in transferring the Plaintiff’s shares without her consent and removing the Plaintiff from being a director without due notice to her boil down to the fact that the 1st Defendant breached the contract between it and the Plaintiff and therefore, the Plaintiff is entitled to damages,’ Justice Olotu said.

Justice Olotu further ruled that, ‘Such actions are clear violations of the principles of corporate governance under the Companies and Allied Matters Act. Consequently, I order that the Plaintiff is entitled to the reliefs sought and the Court so holds.’

In light of the ruling, Justice Olotu declared that the reliefs of Dr Funmi Olawepo were granted as prayed.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for an investigation into the authenticity of academic credentials paraded by most political office holders in the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.

The party claims that the majority of the occupants may parade certificates with questionable origins, adding that the case of the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, became public because he was found out.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, accused the government of promoting what he called the ‘reign of impunity’ by encouraging ‘acts of lawlessness’ and ignoring the pain of Nigerians.

‘Many of them in that government have forged documents.

‘We are going to follow that up. It is a high level of impunity, and it’s like telling us, catch us if you can,’ he told reporters.

Nnaji had tendered his resignation on Tuesday following public pressure over the revelation that he didn’t graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), yet possessed a certificate purportedly issued by the institution.

Commenting on the rumoured plan by more PDP governors to defect to the APC soon, Ologunagba replied that the party was not about a few individuals but about serving the interests of Nigerians.

He blamed defections on factors such as fear, inducement and intimidation, claiming that the APC played a role in all of this.

‘A party is not about individuals but all the people. We have more and more diverse people working for the PDP today.

‘More and more people are returning to the PDP because it’s getting itself together.

‘The defections you see today are instigated by inducement, harassment, coercion, intimidation, and it won’t last,’ he said.

The party also reacted to reports that a new state congress was conducted in Edo State by another group of PDP stakeholders after the National Working Committee (NWC) concluded its own congress on September 27.

Ologunagba explained that the party conducted the Edo congress on September 27 using a properly constituted electoral panel in line with the provisions of the PDP’s constitution.

‘Whatever congress they held was a gathering of some people to do whatever they like,’ he said, adding that some stakeholders always tried to draw attention to themselves or ‘justify some other considerations as proof that they worked.’

Meanwhile, the party on Wednesday inaugurated the Security Sub-Committee for its upcoming November 15 Ibadan Elective National Convention.

The committee, which is chaired by Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, is charged with the responsibility of ensuring a hitch-free event by providing adequate security in and around the venue of the convention.

Kefas, who was represented at the occasion by the deputy chairman of the committee, Senator Austin Akobundu, promised collaboration with all security agencies to provide security for the convention.

‘We understand the national convention as important, being the highest organ of the party.

‘We are approaching this job with all the seriousness it deserves, and we seek the cooperation of everyone, including the press,’ he stated.

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, assured Nigerians of President Bola Tinubu’s resolve towards rejuvenating the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company.

Chairman, ad-hoc committee on illegal mining, Hon. Sanni Abdulraheem, who disclosed this in Abuja while delivering an inaugural speech, pledged the committee’s resolve towards tackling the growing menace of illegal mining in Nigeria.

He assured that ‘Nigerians will witness the results as we advance in our duties, with unwavering commitment to ensuring that this committee delivers on its mandate to curb the activities of illegal mining in any part of this country.

‘Illegal mining, as we all know, is a scourge that has had devastating effects on our nation, from the massive revenue losses to the criminality that undermines our security and rudely alters our environment. It is estimated that Nigeria loses approximately $9 billion annually due to illegal mining activities.

‘This theft of our resources that should be enriching our nation has gone on for far too long, and it is time to put an end to it. Our mission is clear. It is to block these revenue leakages, enforce transparency, and ensure that every naira from our natural resources is properly accounted for.

‘We are here today to ensure that every naira generated from our rich natural resources contributes to the nation’s economic prosperity. As we move forward, one of the core objectives of this Committee is to block the revenue leakages caused by illegal mining and its associated activities, which not only steal from our national treasury but also hinder the growth of legitimate mining operations that could contribute substantially to our national Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

‘Through structured oversight, we will strengthen Revenue Tracking Mechanisms and ensure that the full benefits of Nigeria’s mining sector flow directly into government coffers, rather than being siphoned off through illegal mining activities.

‘Equally important is the issue of criminality and environmental degradation linked to illegal mining. These activities not only fuel insecurity, but they also lead to the pollution of our waterways, the degradation of our forests, and the displacement of vulnerable communities. This is a matter of national urgency to tackle these issues head-on, and it is why we are here today. We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts.

‘This committee stands firmly on the constitutional mandate entrusted to us by the people we serve as their Representatives. We are committed to fulfilling our oversight responsibility as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to expose corruption in any form, curb malpractices, and ensure that our resources are used for the benefit of all Nigerians.

‘It is through such diligent oversight that we will rid our nation of the cancer of illegal mining, safeguard the environment, and protect the well-being of our citizens. Through the powers granted to us, we will investigate, gather evidence, and propose actionable solutions that will restore sanity and accountability to Nigeria’s mining sector.

‘As Chairman, I bring to this Committee a passion for resource-use optimisation. In my constituency, the Ajaokuta Steel Company stands as a glaring testament to the failure of our nation to fully harness the potential of our mineral resources.

‘For years, this vital industrial asset has been underutilised, leaving us to watch while other nations capitalise on similar resources. For many years, the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company has stood as a symbol of unrealised potential.

‘However, I am proud to say that it is now on track to fulfil its true promise. The current administration has shown unprecedented political will to rejuvenate this critical national asset. This is reflected in the appointment of an indigenous professional to lead its revival, a move that gives us hope for the future of Nigeria’s steel industry.

‘With Ajaokuta poised for success, we are looking at not just an economic game-changer but a cornerstone for our industrialisation, job creation, and long-term economic growth.’

To achieve the committee’s set objectives, he explained that the committee will work closely with all stakeholders: government ministries, agencies, the private sector, and affected communities.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr Abiodun Essiet, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deeply committed to entrenching peace and security as essential foundations for economic growth and national development.

She stated this on Wednesday in Lokoja during a community workshop and the inauguration of Community-Based Peace Structures in Kogi State.

According to her, unity, openness, and solidarity are vital to achieving lasting peace in Nigeria.

The event brought together over 200 stakeholders from the 21 local government areas of Kogi for the inauguration of the peace structures in the state.

Essiet said that leaders and citizens must embrace unity and inclusiveness to sustain peace across communities. ‘When no one is left behind, development becomes truly sustainable, and peace becomes lasting in all communities and in Nigeria as a whole,’ she said.

She urged participants to work collectively for a peaceful and prosperous Kogi, adding that the initiative would be replicated across all states in the North Central zone as directed by President Bola Tinubu.

‘We are collaborating with the North Central Development Commission to sustain dialogue, strengthen community voices and ensure that peace-building efforts translate into tangible improvements in infrastructure, security and livelihoods,’ she said.

According to her, Tinubu is passionate about entrenching peace and security as foundations for economic growth and development.

‘Building social cohesion is not a one-off event; it is a continuous journey that requires patience, inclusiveness, and commitment,’ she added.

In his remarks, Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to maintaining peace across the state, saying efforts were ongoing to rid communities of criminal elements.

Ododo, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Arike-Ayoade, urged residents to desist from aiding criminals by supplying them with food and other items.

‘When we stop supplying them with the things they need in the bushes, the criminals will abandon their evil trade,’ he said.

He also appealed to youths to shun crime and embrace hard work, describing it as the only path to sustainable success.

The governor commended Essiet for her dedication to promoting peace and security in Kogi and the North Central region.

Also speaking, Dr Usman Oba’i, the Ejeh of Dekina and Chairman of the Dekina Local Government Traditional Council, commended the initiative and pledged the support of traditional rulers towards sustaining peace in the state.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded on 6th October 2025 to three scientists , Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi, for their groundbreaking discoveries on how the immune system avoids attacking the body it is meant to protect.

These researchers’ work on peripheral immune tolerance has redefined modern immunology and opened new frontiers in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer, and organ transplantation.

The Discovery That Changed Immunology

The journey toward this breakthrough began in 1995 when Japanese immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi questioned long-held scientific assumptions.

At that time, most researchers believed that the body maintained immune tolerance, the ability to tell the difference between its own cells and foreign invaders, only by removing potentially harmful immune cells in the thymus, a mechanism known as central tolerance.

Sakaguchi, who is now a distinguished Professor at Osaka University, demonstrated that the immune system possesses an additional safeguard known as peripheral tolerance.

This process is controlled by a previously unidentified group of immune cells that he named regulatory T cells. These cells act as moderators of the immune response, preventing self-destruction and ensuring that the body’s defense system remains in balance.

A few years later, in 2001, Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell independently uncovered the genetic key behind these cells.

While studying a mouse strain that suffered severe autoimmune symptoms, they discovered a mutation in a gene they named FOXP3. Their research revealed that the human equivalent of this gene, when mutated, causes a rare and life-threatening condition known as IPEX syndrome. This connection demonstrated that FOXP3 was crucial to immune regulation.

Together, their discoveries connected the dots between genetics and immune regulation, establishing the foundation of what is now known as peripheral immune tolerance, a concept that reshaped immunology and medicine alike.

Who Are These Researchers?

Mary E. Brunkow, born in 1961, works at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, Washington. Her scientific curiosity and precision helped decode how genes control immune regulation. Her work on FOXP3 illuminated how the immune system can go from harmony to chaos with a single mutation.

Fred Ramsdell, born on December 4, 1960, in Elmhurst, Illinois, is a molecular immunologist whose research has always bridged science and therapy. Now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, Ramsdell’s efforts are focused on transforming discoveries about Tregs into real-world treatments for autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Shimon Sakaguchi, born on January 19, 1951, in Nagahama, Shiga, Japan, is regarded as a pioneer in the field of immunoregulation. His early skepticism of established dogma led him to identify the body’s ‘immune brakes.’ His decades-long pursuit of understanding immune tolerance has inspired generations of scientists worldwide.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has signed into law the Gombe State Information Technology and Digital Economy Commission (GITDEC).

The Governor described the development as a strategic response to the evolving global digital landscape and a bold step towards positioning Gombe State as one of Nigeria’s leading tech-driven economies.

‘This Commission will serve as the engine room for innovation, digital inclusion, and economic empowerment across our state,’ the Governor stated.

The Gombe State Information Technology and Digital Economy Commission is designed to drive policy formulation and implementation in the areas of ICT development, digital literacy, e-governance, and innovation.

It will also promote skills development across all demographics, support tech start-ups and innovation hubs, attract investment into the digital sector, and ensure cybersecurity and data protection across government platforms.

The Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, officially handed over a copy of the newly assented law to the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Abdullahi Bappah Garkuwa, for further action.

In his remarks, Professor Abdullahi Garkuwa hailed the establishment of the Commission as a great milestone in Gombe State’s march towards digital advancement.

He noted that the new body will bridge the gap between traditional governance and modern technological solutions, thereby creating new opportunities for youths, women, and entrepreneurs.

‘This is about unlocking the full potential of our people and economy through smart, inclusive innovation,’ Abdullahi Garkuwa remarked.

The signing of the GITDEC law follows a series of recent collaborations between the Gombe State Government and national as well as international technology organisations, including the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Uniccon Group, aimed at boosting digital infrastructure and capacity building across the state.

With this development, Gombe State joins the ranks of forward-thinking states embracing the digital economy as a catalyst for innovation, job creation, and sustainable development.

Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the suspension of the vehicle tinted glass permit enforcement following a Court order.

The decision was disclosed by the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, during an interview on AIT.

According to Adeh, the police received the court order, and the enforcement of the tinted permit is now on hold pending the court’s verdict.

‘Information reaching me from the office of the PRO is that the order has been received and the enforcement of the tinted permit is now on hold pending the court’s verdict,’ she said.

The police directive to suspend enforcement will remain in place pending the outcome of the ongoing legal process regarding the tinted glass permit.

‘We are waiting for the verdict. We are not against the courts, and we will continue to wait until we get a verdict,’ Adeh added.

The tinted glass regulation was introduced for security reasons, with Adeh explaining that some criminal activities had been carried out using vehicles with darkened windows.

‘The law was not made by us. We are enforcers. The policy was purely security-driven. Some criminals were using tinted vehicles to commit offences, making it difficult for law enforcement to identify suspects,’ she said.

It emphasises the importance of the tinted glass permit as a measure to enhance safety.

Adeh also dismissed claims that the policy was designed for financial gain, stating that all payments related to tinted permits are made directly into the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), not to the police.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the sum of ?70 billion for the implementation of the Mini-Grid Solar Power Project under the 2025 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention cycle.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TETFund, Aminu Bello Masari, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2025 TETFund National Town Hall Meeting, which brought together stakeholders, including top government functionaries, Vice-Chancellors of Universities, Provosts, Rectors, and representatives of Academic Staff Unions of tertiary institutions, among others.

Former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, also speaking at the event, called on the National Assembly to come up with a piece of legislation that would stop new universities and other tertiary institutions from benefiting from the TETFund intervention until they are 5-10 years old.

Years in operation.

Masari, who was a former Executive Governor of Katsina State and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, highlighted key milestones of TETFund, especially under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the Town Hall Meeting was significant in the collective journey towards building a more transparent, inclusive, and responsive tertiary education system.

On the Mini-Grid Solar Power Project, Masari said the project would provide renewable and sustainable energy solutions to twelve (12) selected institutions across the country, in the first instance.

The institutions include Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State; Northwest University, Kano; Ambrose Alli University, Edo State; Alvan Ikoku University of Education, Owerri, Imo State; and Lagos State University, amongst others.

He also revealed that under the leadership of President Tinubu, the Fund has sponsored 3332 scholars for Master’s and 4796 PhDs for the local component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff.

‘The Fund continues to support teaching practice, conference attendance, research and development thereby ensuring that Nigerian tertiary institutions are well equipped with the right workforce of highly trained and globally exposed academics,’ he stated.

The Board of Trustees has envisioned Nigerian tertiary institutions that are globally competitive, research-oriented, and innovation-driven, producing graduates who are not only employable but are job creators and solution providers.

‘To achieve this, we will continue to strengthen accountability and transparency frameworks, expand investments in alternative energy and digital learning platforms, promote advanced research in agriculture, health, and technology, and deepen collaboration with industries and international partners to drive research commercialisation and sustainable impact,’ he stated.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, on his part, applauded President Tinubu for his overwhelming support towards ensuring that the Fund actualizes its mandate and the ongoing transformation of tertiary education into a driver of innovation and productivity in Nigeria.

He disclosed that the President had approved the increase in the percentage allocation of education tax from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent, saying this has had a tremendous impact on the intervention programmes of the Fund.

Echono also spoke on why the TETFund had to suspend the training of scholars abroad except for some specialized courses, disclosing that the federal government is developing a framework to ensure students sponsored abroad on government scholarships return home to contribute to national development after their studies.

He said the development followed a directive by President Tinubu to address the issue of scholars absconding after years of free education and failing to return after completing their studies overseas to contribute to the development of the country.

‘Mr President complained that so many of the people we send abroad for studies do not return, and he felt it was unfair,’ Echono said. ‘He has therefore instructed that we must put measures in place, not to stop training abroad entirely, but to ensure that those who go are properly bonded and return to contribute their knowledge to national development.’

Immediate past President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, warned against the proliferation of universities, saying most of them created as ‘constituency projects’ were targeted at benefiting from TETFund intervention and must be discouraged.

He called on the National Assembly to come up with a piece of legislation that would prevent new universities not up to 5-10 years from benefiting from the TETFund intervention.