NELFUND Opens Student Loan Application Portal for Federal Institutions

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has officially launched the application portal for its student loan scheme, targeting students from federal institutions across the country. The move signals the commencement of the pilot phase of the loan program for eligible students in federal tertiary institutions. NELFUND’s Media and Public Relations Lead, Nasir Ayitogo, provided detailed instructions on the application process.

The student loan program initiation follows President Bola Tinubu‘s enactment of the policy in June 2023 to provide interest-free loans to students. Originally planned to begin in October 2023, the scheme was postponed until its re-enactment in April 2024. However, the application and disbursement portal for the loans finally went live on May 24, making the opportunity accessible to eligible students.

NELFUND, through the guidance provided by Ayitogo, outlined a step-by-step guide for students interested in securing the financial support offered by the student loan scheme. The process entails creating an account, completing one’s profile, and applying for the loan through the newly launched online portal at www.nelf.gov.ng.

Participating students are required to input specific personal information, including their Name of Institution of study, Admission Number, JAMB Number, Date of Birth, NIN, and BVN. Furthermore, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has raised concerns about the sluggish response of most federal tertiary institutions regarding the uploading of student data into the portal, urging swift actions to facilitate smoother application processes.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NELFUND’s initiative aims to benefit over 1.2 million students from federal institutions across Nigeria. With the application portal now open, eligible students can begin the process of applying for the interest-free student loans to support their educational pursuits.