By Felix Khanoba
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has pledged to uphold transparency and resist fraudulent activities as it reinforces its internal systems through partnerships with key anti-corruption, security, and regulatory bodies.
The Fund said it is also collaborating with anti-graft agencies, military and paramilitary institutions, and other stakeholders to develop whistleblower frameworks, real-time verification systems, joint auditing procedures, and public education initiatives.
These efforts are designed to shield the loan scheme from abuse and ensure proper oversight.
According to the Fund, these alliances aim to leverage institutional expertise in enforcement, compliance, and digital forensics, thereby creating a robust defense against potential manipulation and misuse.
At a workshop in Abuja on Friday, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption. The event wrapped up a five-day stakeholders’ engagement that brought together education sector leaders, university administrators, and student union representatives to build consensus on a transparent and trustworthy student loan system.
Sawyerr, addressing participants described as “guardians of accountability, transparency, and national security,” emphasized the importance of the partnership in improving the Fund’s operational safeguards.
“As custodians of public trust, your institutions are vital to NELFUND’s long-term credibility and sustainability. Our objectives today are threefold: To fortify the NELFUND ecosystem against fraud, manipulation, or misuse by tapping into your expertise in compliance, enforcement, and digital forensics; To strengthen our internal controls by co-developing mechanisms for due diligence, applicant verification, identity protection, and fund tracking and to build sustainable frameworks for inter-agency collaboration, policy alignment, and joint public education on the consequences of abuse and the benefits of lawful access,” he explained.
He went on to underline the scheme’s strategic significance to the current administration’s national development vision.
“The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is a core pillar in the realization of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, an ambitious, people-centered vision to create equal opportunities for all Nigerians, particularly our youth. The launch of the student loan scheme is not just a financial intervention; it is a social contract, one that seeks to eliminate the barrier of poverty from the path of education.
“But with great vision comes great responsibility. Access without integrity breeds inefficiency. Expansion without oversight invites exploitation. That is why today’s engagement is so critical.”
He stressed the need for preventive systems over reactive measures in addressing corruption risks.
“Integrity is not merely the absence of corruption, it is the active presence of systems, partnerships, and culture that prevent malfeasance before it occurs.”
Sawyerr also revealed that the Fund had made considerable progress in the development of its digital infrastructure.
“We are on track to commence disbursements within the stipulated timelines, and we are committed to ensuring that every step is audit-compliant and fraud resistant.
“These milestones are not by accident they reflect deliberate planning, deep consultation, and our unwavering resolve to execute this national assignment with excellence,” he added.
He called for unified action to prevent any vulnerabilities that could compromise the integrity of the initiative.
“As we close this week-long engagement, I am reminded that while policies may be written in government offices, their success is delivered by institutions and sustained by integrity.
“With your partnership, NELFUND can become a beacon of trust, a model of efficiency, and a flagship for the Renewed Hope Agenda, one where every Nigerian child, regardless of background, can dream boldly and achieve greatly,” he said.
During the event, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, represented by Air Commodore Friday Bassey, urged NELFUND to consider prioritizing children of fallen military personnel in the loan scheme.
He noted that many of these children are facing severe educational setbacks due to the loss of their parents who died in service, and emphasized that extending support to them would boost morale among serving officers.
This, he explained, would encourage officers to give in their best in their services to the nation.
