THE federal government has announced May 24, 2024, as the official date to open the student loan portal for applications.
This was contained in a statement by the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), NELFUND, signed by its spokesman, Nasir Ayitogo, on Thursday, May 16.
Led by its managing director, Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND is the body saddled with the responsibility of managing and disbursing loans to interested students.
The ICIR reported how implementation of the Student Loan Act has continued to drag, since Tinubu first signed its bill into law in June 2023 to enable students in need to access interest-free loans to pursue their education in any tertiary institution in the country.
While implementation continued to drag, Tinubu later wrote to the Senate on March 14, seeking a repeal of the Act and its re-enactment, which birthed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, which Tinubu signed into law on April 3.
Although the bill is touted to ease access to tertiary education for Nigerian students, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) described it as an attempt by the government to abandon funding education in public universities.
Meanwhile, NELFUND has given the new date for the opening of the portal as 24 May.
The NELFUND’s statement reads in part: “The management of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) led by its managing director, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr is thrilled to announce the 24th of May, 2024 as the official date for the opening of the portal for student loan applications.
“This marks a significant milestone in the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) to fostering accessible and inclusive education for all Nigerian students. Through the portal, students can now access loans to pursue their academic aspirations without financial constraints. The portal provides a user-friendly interface for students to submit their loan applications conveniently.”
NELFUND further urged eligible students of tertiary institutions and accredited skill acquisition centres nationwide to seize this opportunity to invest in their future and contribute to the nation’s growth and development.
While encouraging intending applicants to seek more information and assistance through the agency’s verified social media handles to avoid being duped by fraudulent persons, the agency said the portal could be accessed via www.nelf.gov.ng,
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M