No fewer than 1.5 million students across 288 tertiary institutions have benefited from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), with over N282 billion disbursed to date.
Awati Muhammed, Head of Loan Repayment and Reconciliation at NELFUND, disclosed this during a Democracy Day engagement organised by student union leaders from Northern Nigeria. The event, themed “Thank You President Tinubu for Making Democracy Work for Students”, took place on Friday in Yola.
Mr Muhammed explained that the initiative seeks to unite students and stakeholders in discussing educational opportunities under Federal Government programmes. He noted that the Northern Project Coordination Office (NPCO), in collaboration with NELFUND and the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PI-CNG), has launched a sensitisation campaign across 25 universities in the North.
The campaign aims to educate students on the benefits of the interest-free education loan and other government interventions in the sector. “The outreach is designed to increase awareness and encourage wider participation among eligible students,” Mr Muhammed said.
He added that the scheme is dismantling financial barriers that have long hindered many young Nigerians from accessing tertiary education, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises quality education and youth empowerment.
The NELFUND official reiterated the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability, stating that the sensitisation would also allow students to interact directly with NELFUND officials and other stakeholders. He assured students that the campaign would continue across northern institutions to ensure no eligible beneficiary is left out.
Abdulwahab Shehu, NELFUND Desk Officer at Modibbo Adama University, described the initiative as a major step toward equitable access to higher education. He urged students to seek clarification on eligibility, application procedures, and repayment terms to make informed decisions.
Abbas Aminu, a beneficiary and student at Modibbo Adama University, called the scheme a timely intervention that has eased the burden of tuition and other educational expenses. “The loan has enabled me to focus more on my studies,” he said, adding that the programme has significantly reduced the financial challenges associated with higher education.