President Bola Tinubu has explained that the Federal Government removed universities from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the requirement to obtain recruitment waivers to strengthen institutional autonomy and improve efficiency in the university system.
Tinubu spoke on Saturday at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), in Bauchi State, where 50 pioneer students graduated from the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
The President, who is the university’s Visitor, was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sunny Echono.
He said the reforms would allow universities to recruit staff based on their manpower needs without seeking approval from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“As part of our commitment to greater institutional efficiency and autonomy, the Federal Government has removed universities from the requirement to obtain recruitment waivers,” Tinubu said.
He added that the government had also taken steps to remove universities from IPPIS and develop a payroll system that accommodated the peculiarities of the university system.
According to him, the changes were aimed at helping universities attract and retain qualified personnel to improve teaching, research, innovation and national development.
Tinubu also disclosed that 1,798 FUHSA students had benefited from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for the 2025/2026 academic session, representing 43 per cent of the institution’s student population.
He said the initiative was part of the government’s efforts to ensure that financial difficulties did not prevent qualified Nigerians from accessing higher education.
The President further disclosed that the Federal Government, through TETFund, had provided N10bn for the National Research Fund in 2026, urging universities, particularly health-related institutions, to use the opportunity to conduct research addressing the country’s health challenges.
He said the government was also committed to improving the welfare and professional development of staff in tertiary institutions, while strengthening security through the Safe School Initiative and other measures.
Tinubu commended FUHSA for establishing partnerships with international institutions, including the University of Miami, Boston University and Universiti Sains Malaysia.
He urged the university to translate the collaborations into practical outcomes that would improve teaching, research, innovation and healthcare delivery.
The President congratulated the 50 pioneer graduates, describing their achievement as a significant milestone in the development of the institution, which was established to address gaps in Nigeria’s health sector exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his address, the FUHSA Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bala Mohammed Audu, said the university had established 22 academic programmes in less than five years.
He disclosed that 11 of the 13 programmes that had reached the accreditation stage had received full accreditation, while two had received interim accreditation.
Audu said the university had graduated 50 students from its Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, including three who obtained first-class degrees.
He added that the graduates had developed more than 34 value-added nutritional products during their training, some of which could be commercialised.
The vice-chancellor also called for a review of the extension of the nutrition programme from four to five years under the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, arguing that the four-year programme had adequately equipped students with the required skills.
He thanked Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for providing the university’s campus and 600 hectares of land at Dugunde for future expansion.
Audu also acknowledged the support of several universities, teaching hospitals and other institutions that provided personnel, classrooms and facilities during FUHSA’s take-off.