Reporting by The Punch indicates that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has surpassed a major milestone, with total disbursements reaching ₦161.97 billion. This funding has directly benefited 864,798 students across various public tertiary institutions in the country. The program, a flagship initiative of the Tinubu administration, aims to reduce the dropout rate by providing interest-free loans for tuition and monthly upkeep.
NELFUND officials stated that the application process has been further streamlined to ensure that students from underserved backgrounds are prioritized. The fund is currently working with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to integrate more vocational and technical colleges into the scheme, recognizing the need for skilled labor in the non-oil sector.
Further reporting from Channels TV and Leadership validates the expansion of the scheme. Channels TV noted that ‘the fund has become a lifeline for families struggling with inflation,’ while Leadership quoted a student union leader who said, ‘NELFUND is the only reason many of us are still in school this semester.’
Echotitbits take: NELFUND is perhaps the administration’s most successful ‘social contract’ project. However, the long-term sustainability depends on the repayment model, which is tied to post-graduation employment. If the economy doesn’t produce jobs for these 860,000 students, the government may eventually face a massive ‘student debt’ crisis of its own.
Source: ChannelsTv – https://www.channelstv.com/2025/08/15/%E2%82%A686bn-disbursed-449000-students-beneficiaries-recorded-nelfund/ January 5, 2026
Photo Credit: ChannelsTv
