As part of efforts to strengthen fire safety and safeguard national assets in higher institutions, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has unveiled plans to establish fire stations across public universities in Nigeria.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, announced the initiative during a courtesy visit by the Comptroller-General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Samuel Olumode Adeyemi, and his delegation.
Echono emphasized that TETFund’s mandate of providing infrastructure for teaching, learning, and research has produced assets worth trillions of naira, which must be protected through proactive fire prevention measures.
“We cannot provide these national assets without thinking about how to keep them functional and safe. Fire protection is therefore essential—installing hydrants, sprinklers, smoke detectors, and ensuring personnel are trained to respond to emergencies,” he said.
He revealed that TETFund had experienced two fire incidents in the past year, prompting integrity tests on electrical installations. He stressed that prevention remains the most effective safeguard, adding that the Fund will support the initiative through targeted interventions while the Fire Service provides manpower, training, and technical expertise.
Discussions are underway to formalize the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering staff training, risk assessment, and institutional safety audits.
In his remarks, Adeyemi commended TETFund’s transformative contributions to tertiary education and highlighted the urgency of the partnership.
“In 2024 alone, we recorded fire outbreaks in three federal universities, including hostels where 29 rooms were destroyed and lives were lost. This is why stronger collaboration with TETFund is critical,” he said.
The Fire Service chief proposed installing smoke detectors, alarm systems, and extinguishers in all TETFund-supported structures, alongside establishing a joint inspection unit for regular fire safety assessments.
