Commonwealth Conference to Address Universities’ Funding Sustainability

Funmi Ogundare

Senior university leaders, policymakers, and education stakeholders from across the Commonwealth are expected to converge on Abuja, for a two-day Commonwealth Institute Universities Leaders Conference, scheduled to hold from April 23 to 24.

The high-level conference themed, ‘Funding and Revenue Generation for Universities’, will be focused on sustainable funding and revenue generation for higher education institutions. It has the objective of  addressing growing concerns over the financial viability of universities amid rising operational costs, increased regulatory requirements, and intensified competition for students.

Director of the Commonwealth Institute, Prof. Anthony Kila, in a statement, explained that the conference will bring together vice-chancellors, founders, registrars, bursars, governing council members, and development officers, alongside policymakers, financial experts, and higher education strategists.

The gathering, he noted, is designed to equip participants with actionable strategies for building financially sustainable institutions, diversifying revenue streams, and strengthening governance frameworks.

The conference, he added, will focus on practical solutions to challenges facing institutions operating without consistent public funding.

Key sessions will examine access to funding frameworks and engagement with intervention agencies, strategies for developing alternative income streams beyond tuition, attracting investors and development partners, and strengthening governance and institutional credibility.

Participants will also explore opportunities in research commercialisation, executive education, consultancy services, and alumni engagement as pathways to improving financial resilience.

“The conference will feature speakers from finance, policy, and academia, including Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono; Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye; CEO, Kuramo Capital, Wale Adeosun; capital market solicitor and interest-free finance expert, Ummahani Ahmad Amin; funding and innovation expert, Yemi Keri; Country Director, Commonwealth Society, Blackson Bayewumi; and fintech expert and Commonwealth Scholar, Sola Longe-Okenimkpe.”

A major highlight of the conference, Kila added, will be the unveiling of the Commonwealth Collegium, a proposed alliance of universities aimed at fostering collaboration in research, funding, and academic exchange across Commonwealth countries.

He noted that the initiative reflects a growing recognition that universities must increasingly collaborate across borders to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global education landscape.

Also speaking ahead of the conference, Yakubu Ochefu, Professor of Economic History and Development Studies and National Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Universities Alumni, described the gathering as timely, particularly for institutions in emerging economies balancing expansion with sustainability.

Participants are expected to leave with practical frameworks, policy insights, and strategic partnerships that can be immediately applied within their institutions.