By Ngozi Nwankwo
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commissioned a state-of-the-art Academic Publishing Centre (APC) at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra State, aimed at boosting academic research, textbook production, and publishing capacity across tertiary institutions in the South-East region.
Commissioned by the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Bello Masari, the facility is designed as a regional publishing hub equipped with modern printing machinery to provide professional publishing services to universities and other public tertiary institutions throughout the geopolitical zone.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Masari, represented by the South-East member of the Board, Esther Ukachukwu, stated that the center reflects TETFund’s commitment to improving teaching, learning, and indigenous research capacity. He explained that the initiative forms part of TETFund’s Higher Education Book Development Project, which began with an initial ₦2 billion Federal Government approval in 2009 and received an additional ₦2.95 billion allocation in 2019. Under the mandate, model publishing centers are being established across all six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.
Masari noted that the South-East center will significantly reduce dependence on foreign and commercial publishing, helping to elevate the visibility of local research outputs. He urged the host university and beneficiary institutions to ensure the facility is sustained and effectively managed.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIZIK and Chairman of the APC Board, Prof. Bond Ugochukwu Stanley Anyaehie, described the project as a major milestone for academic excellence in the region. Pledging to make the facility fully operational, Anyaehie commended TETFund for locating the hub at UNIZIK and appealed for continued intervention across tertiary institutions in the South-East.
