The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced plans to launch a centralized job portal by 2026 to connect student loan beneficiaries with employment opportunities both locally and internationally.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening the impact of the student loan scheme and supporting graduates in achieving financial independence.
Speaking during a media engagement in Abuja on Thursday, held to mark one year since the launch of the student loan scheme, NELFUND Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyer, explained that while the agency cannot guarantee jobs, the planned job portal will facilitate graduates’ transition into the workforce.
According to Sawyer, the portal will aggregate job listings from both public and private sector employers, as well as international organizations interested in hiring Nigerian graduates.
“We don’t just give a loan and leave students on their own. This job portal is our way of supporting their journey toward economic stability,” he said.
He reaffirmed that student loan repayments will only begin after beneficiaries have secured gainful employment and completed their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“If you don’t have a job, you don’t pay,” he emphasized. “And when you eventually get a job, your repayment starts afresh. Once employed, 10 per cent of the beneficiary’s monthly income will be automatically deducted by the employer and remitted to NELFUND, following verification through the NELFUND employment register.”
ADEOLA KUNLE
