The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, has warned Nigerian universities against allowing ethnic, political and local interests to influence the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, stressing that merit and competence must remain the major criteria for selecting university leaders.
Echono gave the warning while presenting findings from his doctoral research titled “Leadership Selection Process and Governance of Federal Universities in Nigeria (1993–2024)” at a public lecture organised by the Abuja Leadership and Governance Centre at the University of Abuja (Yakubu Gowon University).
The TETFund boss expressed concern that the increasing localisation of university leadership appointments was weakening academic standards and undermining the autonomy of Nigerian universities.
According to him, universities previously benefited from a leadership selection system that prioritised experience, academic excellence and national representation, with candidates often emerging from outside the immediate communities where institutions were located. He warned that shifting towards ethnic considerations could reduce the pool of qualified candidates available for leadership positions.
Echono said the quality of leadership in universities directly affects governance, accountability, research output, institutional stability and overall development.
He argued that selecting Vice-Chancellors based on ethnic affiliation, political connections or local pressure rather than competence could damage the credibility of the university system.
The TETFund chief executive also raised concerns over political interference in the selection process, noting that external influences had increasingly affected the independence of university governing councils.
He stressed the need for transparent and inclusive processes that would ensure the appointment of individuals capable of driving innovation, improving academic standards and positioning Nigerian universities for global competitiveness.
Echono’s remarks come amid longstanding debates over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in Nigerian universities, where some selections have triggered controversies over alleged ethnic preferences, political influence and questions about adherence to merit-based procedures.
He maintained that strengthening university autonomy and enforcing clear standards for leadership selection were necessary steps toward improving governance in the nation’s tertiary education sector.
The TETFund boss called on stakeholders, including university councils, academics and government officials, to protect the integrity of the appointment process and ensure that the best candidates are chosen to lead institutions.
He added that a transparent leadership system would help universities focus on their core responsibilities of teaching, research and national development.
