The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund) portal will officially open in March, providing eligible students with access to financial support for their education. Dr. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Executive Secretary of NELFund, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, urging eligible students to register to access the fund.
The initiative stems from President Bola Tinubu signing the Access to Higher Education Bill into law on June 12, 2023. This legislation aims to empower financially disadvantaged students by offering them interest-free loans to pursue their tertiary education within Nigeria.
Originally slated to begin between September and October 2023, the scheme encountered delays, resulting in a revised timeline for January. Sawyerr attributed the delay to technical considerations, emphasizing the need to ensure proper execution of the process.
“The take-off date is this month (March), and the reason for the delay is that we are striving to ensure accuracy and effectiveness,” Sawyerr explained.
The forthcoming launch of the NELFund portal underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing access to education for all Nigerian students, regardless of their financial circumstances. Eligible individuals are encouraged to seize this opportunity to advance their academic pursuits.
