Photo credit: NELFUND
2025-12-17
At a virtual briefing, NELFUND says it has disbursed ₦154.3 billion in student loans since the scheme began, with almost 789,000 students counted as beneficiaries across 262 public tertiary institutions.
The figures suggest the programme has scaled quickly, with the fund splitting disbursements between institutional fees and upkeep allowances to students, while still managing verification and duplicate‑application challenges.
Beyond the headline number, the policy stakes are high: the scheme is meant to expand access to education without immediate repayment pressure, but its credibility depends on transparent reporting, timely payments to schools, and fair beneficiary selection.
As the programme grows, questions around repayment administration after graduation, fraud controls, and institutional compliance will become more prominent.
BusinessDay: “NELFUND has disbursed a total of ₦154.37 billion to 788,947 students…”
TheCable: “The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) says 788,947 students have so far benefited… out of 1,193,228 applications received…”
Analysis/Echotitbits take: If the data holds up under scrutiny, the scheme could be one of the most consequential social programmes of this cycle. Watch for independent audits, repayment‑tracking systems, and how the fund handles application surges without delays.
Source: Punch — December 17, 2025 — https://punchng.com/n154-3bn-student-loans-disbursed-in-19-months-nelfund/