NELFUND disburses N5b student loan to 59 institutions 

Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) has disbursed over N5.09 billion institutional fees to 59 federal and state tertiary institutions, even as it has commenced sensitisation campaign to schools nationwide. 

This comes as a total of 45,440 beneficiaries have, so far, received institutional fees from the Fund.  The Guardian reports that NELFUND has, so far, visited 10 tertiary institutions, including Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho; and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt. 

Other institutions visited were University of Calabar; Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Ekpene; University of Port Harcourt; Niger Delta University, Amasomma, Bayelsa State, and Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State. 

The Fund indicated that the sensitisation, which it jointly organised with the leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), was intended to enlighten schools and its students about the programme, its objectives and how they could leverage on it to improve access to education.

Speaking at the University of Port Harcourt, the NELFUND Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, highlighted the importance of the programme in helping Nigerian students overcome financial barriers to education.

Sawyerr said the sensitisation was aimed at inspiring students, who might be hesitant to apply due to a lack of understanding of the scheme.  He said the Fund had been empowered to reach all nooks and crannies of the country, ensuring that no region was marginalised He stressed the need for students to take full advantage of the loan scheme, which provides both tuition and monthly stipends for applicants. 

The MD was accompanied to UniPort by some staff members of the Fund, which included the Executive, Director Operations, Mustapha Iyal; Director Corporate Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi; Special Assistant to the MD, Nasir Ayitogo, and the Senate President of NANS, Babatunde Akinteye. He reiterated the Fund’s commitment to equitable distribution of the facility. 

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, lauded the Federal Government for supporting students in furthering their education with ease. 

While noting that the loan scheme was a significant step towards alleviating students’ financial burden, the don encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity and spend their monthly upkeep wisely.