This assurance was given by NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, during a Stakeholders Engagement Session and Technical Workshop on System Automation and Loan Application Processes held in Abuja on Tuesday. The workshop brought together representatives of Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and Technical Institutes.
Sawyerr emphasized that NELFUND's goal goes beyond financial aid—it aims to remove barriers to education for every young Nigerian, especially those in technical institutions, through a system built on transparency, speed, and fairness.
“At NELFUND, our mission goes beyond giving loans. It's about making sure every young Nigerian who is willing to learn and grow has a real shot, regardless of their background, location, or chosen path of study,” he said.
He noted that the Fund’s technology-backed approach would ease the application process for students, streamline verification for institutions, and ensure swift disbursement of funds. Sawyerr called on institutional partners to contribute data, feedback, and collaboration to help tailor the system to real-life needs.
He praised the technical institutions for their role in building skills and strengthening communities, stressing that their experience with student challenges would be critical in shaping a more responsive loan system.
“We’re aiming for access without stress—a platform students can use with confidence,” he said, adding that the Fund was focused on ensuring every action taken would serve the student at the center of the process.
NELFUND’s Executive Director of Operations, Mr. Iyal Mustapha, also revealed that verification for more students was ongoing and addressed concerns over discrepancies between registered students and successful applications. He explained that these issues often originated from the students' end, not the Fund.
To resolve this, Mustapha disclosed that NELFUND is exploring direct integration with institutional portals through APIs, enabling student data to flow automatically during registration or payment processes.
“We are working on a system where students can apply for NELFUND loans directly through their institution’s portal. Once the school verifies them as bonafide students, we will pay directly. This will make the process faster and reduce the need for data duplication,” he said.
Mustapha also hinted at plans to deploy IT staff to institutions to support portal integration and data accuracy.
Both Sawyerr and Mustapha urged institutions to work collaboratively with the Fund in building a loan application and disbursement system that is not only functional and sustainable but transformative for Nigerian students.
ADEOLA KUNLE
