Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr (Middle), flanked by two other top officials of the Fund during the press conference.
By Felix Khanoba
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has reported a surge in student loan applications, with over 60,000 students registering for the scheme within the first week of its launch.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, who made this known at a post-application launch press conference on Thursday in Abuja, said out of the 60,000 registered students, 30,000 have successfully completed their loan applications.
The NELFUND boss also revealed that the portal for loan applications will open for students of state-owned universities on June 25, 2024, even as he expressed delight at the overwhelming positive response to the scheme by Nigerian students.
“Since the launch of our student loan application portal last Friday for students in federal institutions of higher learning, we have witnessed an extraordinary surge in applications, with over 60,000 submissions since inception.
“The overwhelming response serves as a testament to the critical need for financial assistance among our student population, and we remain committed to addressing this urgent demand,” Sawyerr said.
He, however, called on the management of federal tertiary education institutions that have yet to submit their students’ data to promptly do the needful to facilitate a smooth application process.
“We urge the remaining two federal universities and five federal polytechnics to expedite the process to ensure that all eligible students can access our financial support,” he stated.
Speaking further, Sawyerr said NELFUND will soon launch a comprehensive skills acquisition programme for youth within the next six months, aimed at providing practical, market-relevant skills.
” Beyond financial assistance, NELFUND recognizes the profound importance of equipping our youth with practical, market-relevant skills. Six months from today, we will launch a comprehensive skills acquisition program, providing training in various vocational and technical fields.
“This programme is designed to prepare students to meet the demands of the modern job market, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among our young people,” he said.
The NELFUND boss commended President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, among others, for their tireless efforts in making a tangible difference in the lives of Nigerian students.
