By Felix Khanoba
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to intensify awareness of its student loan scheme to ensure that eligible beneficiaries fully understand and access the Federal Government’s interest-free education financing initiative.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, made the call during a sensitisation roadshow organised by the Fund at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Sawyerr said MDAs were critical stakeholders in national development and had important roles to play in disseminating accurate information about the scheme, addressing misconceptions and ensuring that the benefits reached eligible Nigerian students.
He explained that the roadshow was designed to deepen understanding of NELFUND’s mandate, operations and the opportunities available to students seeking financial support for higher education.
“I sincerely appreciate the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian. For providing this opportunity for us to engage with its management and staff. The purpose of this roadshow is to deepen awareness and understanding of NElFund’s mandate, operations and the opportunity available to eligible Nigerian students to access financial support for higher education,” he said.
He commended the ministry’s staff for their active participation, constructive engagement and valuable contributions during the sensitisation session.
Also speaking, the Director of SERVICOM at NELFUND, Olusola Fowobaje, said the ministry was selected for the engagement because of its proximity to grassroots communities and its role in the Federal Government’s poverty reduction efforts.
He noted that although many civil servants might have encountered information about NELFUND through television and social media, they might not have had sufficient understanding of the scheme because of their busy work schedules.
According to him, civil servants are parents and guardians who need comprehensive information about the initiative to enable them to guide their children and wards appropriately.
“They are parents and guardians, so they need the in-depth information of the product that NELFUND has, hence the initiative.
‘The fortunate thing about this product is that we are not selling the product. We are giving it out in the form of loans to our students, to our children in federal and state government institutions.without interest. So the CEO said we should take it to the doorsteps of our people,” he ssid.
Fowobaje disclosed that the sensitisation team had previously visited the Ministry of Regional Development, adding that other engagements had been scheduled, including visits to security agencies’ barracks.
He said the initiative was also necessary to address situations where some students receiving NELFUND loans continued to collect school fees from their parents because their families were unaware of the financial support.
“Some students, our children, collect this loan and still collect school fees from their parents. Because the parents, most of them are not aware, especially the educated parents like you.
“We’ve gone out a lot. And that is why we are bringing it to your doorsteps, the ministries, the departments and the agencies,” he said.
Explaining the social importance of the scheme, Fowobaje said it was designed to provide educational opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who might otherwise be unable to afford tertiary education.
” The fact that someone is my gateman, his son or his children should not open the gate for my children. And that is the initiative because they now have access.
“‘The children should not start where the father stops, Federal government has come out to say, this money is available for your children to go to school,” he said.
He added that NELFUND’s management was working to make the loan application and disbursement processes seamless and accessible to Nigerians.
According to him, the Fund would continue to provide financial assistance to eligible students in public tertiary institutions, promote sustainable education financing through a transparent and accountable loan system, and reduce student dropout rates caused by financial difficulties.
Other objectives, he said, included promoting human capital development, improving national productivity and advancing inclusive and equitable access to quality education.
“We will continue to reduce the number of students who drop out due to financial constraints. Promote human capital development and national productivity. Advance inclusive and equitable assets to quality education,’ he said.
The Fund disclosed that it had disbursed more than N375 billion to students across the country as of the end of October 2026.
The figure comprises over N194 billion for institutional fees and more than N180 billion for students’ upkeep allowances.
During the engagement, ministry officials were also taken through the NELFUND application portal and disbursement procedures.
The presentation addressed concerns about the sustainability of the scheme, the implications of a beneficiary’s death, repayment periods and the mode of loan repayment after beneficiaries secure employment.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Olubumi Olusanya, represented by the Assistant Director, Training/Staff Welfare, Eweje Ololade Modukpe, commended NELFUND for bringing the sensitisation exercise to the ministry.
She said the engagement had provided staff with a better understanding of the scheme, describing the presentations as an eye-opener.
”Some say it is real, some say it is political propaganda, but here they are today. That is to tell us that it is real, and that the office is existing, and the programme is real,” she said
Modukpe explained that there had initially been some reservations about the ministry’s participation because its workers were not students.
”I remember, when the letter came, I was thinking within myself, we are not students. How does this affect us? So when I put a call through, it was explained, they are aware that we are not students, but we have children. We are all mothers, we are all fathers, and we are parents.
”Even if we don’t have one, we have people under us that we are training in school. So with that, we can even know how we can key in, and even if our children are already enjoying it, how do we even know? So these are some of the issues that were unraveled here today,” she said.
She urged the ministry’s staff to become advocates of NELFUND by sharing accurate information about the scheme with parents, guardians and other members of the public.
