NELFUND Urges Increased Student Loan Participation from South-South and South-East Regions to Bridge Application Gap

NELFUND has called on South-South and South-East institutions to boost student loan awareness and participation, stressing the need for regional inclusivity and digital reforms to ensure fair and efficient access to higher education funding across Nigeria.

allscho The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on tertiary institutions in Nigeria’s South-South and South-East regions to step up sensitization campaigns and encourage more eligible students to apply for the federal student loan scheme, following a noticeable shortfall in application rates from these areas compared to other geopolitical zones. This call to action was made during a comprehensive, multi-day stakeholders’ engagement and technical workshop held in Abuja, which brought together representatives from universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education to deliberate on streamlining the student loan process. The sessions emphasized key themes such as system automation, enhancing transparency, and addressing bottlenecks affecting institutional compliance and student accessibility. NELFUND’s Managing Director and CEO, Akintunde Sawyerr, reiterated the agency’s mission to establish a fully digitized, student-focused, and equitable financial aid ecosystem capable of delivering timely and accountable educational support nationwide. Other notable contributors, including lawmakers and education sector leaders, underscored the vital role of technology integration, stakeholder collaboration, policy reforms, and inclusive practices in ensuring that all students—regardless of region—can benefit from government-backed financial assistance to pursue their academic goals and contribute meaningfully to national development.

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Sources: ALLSCHOOL, LEADERSHIP