In a Stakeholders Engagement Session & Technical Workshop held on Thursday in Abuja, NELFUND’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, urged Students Union Presidents and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) officials to actively participate in raising awareness and ensuring the success of the initiative.
Sawyerr emphasized that NELFUND is committed to providing opportunities for all Nigerian students, regardless of their background, and called on students to collaborate with the agency. He said, "To make this work, we need you. Your voice. Your leadership. Your engagement on campus. Help us raise awareness, refine our processes, and ensure that this scheme reaches every student it was designed to serve."
He also highlighted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on inclusion, empowerment, and prioritizing education.
Iyal Mustapha, the Executive Director of Operations at NELFUND, addressed the delays in student application verification by some institutions, stressing the importance of timely responses to facilitate fund disbursements. He stated, "If institutions don’t confirm your status, we can’t release the funds. You must be involved in making sure your institutions do the right thing."
He further explained that the scheme was designed to combat dropout rates by providing financial support for both institutional charges and monthly upkeep, and reassured students that loan repayment would only begin two years after completing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and only if employed. He also noted that the loan would be forgiven in the event of death or permanent disability.
"The loan is about removing barriers so you can focus on your education. There’s no interest, no guarantor, and no harassment," Mustapha said.
Mustapha also emphasized that upkeep payments could not be disbursed without confirmation that institutional fees had been settled, urging students to ensure their institutions were informed of this.
During the event, Olushola Oladoja, President of NANS, voiced concerns about alleged sabotage of the loan scheme by some institutions. He announced that a five-man investigative committee had been formed to probe these issues, including instances where institutions claimed to have received payments but failed to notify students.
"We will engage NELFUND directly, visit the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to verify their findings, and get to the bottom of this," Oladoja asserted.
Umar Lawal, a final-year student from Bayero University, Kano, expressed gratitude for the student loan scheme, but also raised concerns about transparency and accountability in some institutions, promising that the issues would be addressed.
This session marked an important step in NELFUND’s efforts to ensure that the student loan scheme fulfills its promise to support Nigerian students in their pursuit of higher education.
ADEOLA KUNLE
