The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund) portal, originally slated to launch between September and October 2023, encountered delays, leading to a revised timeline for January.
Now, the Federal Government has confirmed March as the definitive month for the opening of the NELFund portal, as announced by Dr. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Executive Secretary of NELFund, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Bill into law on June 12, 2023, enabling financially disadvantaged students to access interest-free loans for their tertiary education in Nigerian institutions.
The initial launch, expected between September and October 2023, faced setbacks due to unforeseen circumstances, resulting in a rescheduled commencement in January.
Explaining the delay, Sawyerr emphasized the technical intricacies of the process, underscoring the need for meticulous planning to ensure effective implementation.
He reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring financial constraints do not impede students’ access to tertiary education in Nigeria. The scheme targets indigent students across tertiary institutions, with online applications being the mode of access.
Sawyerr emphasized the scheme’s inclusivity, stressing that applicants from diverse backgrounds would have equal opportunities. The application process will be conducted online, with extensive outreach to ensure wide dissemination of information.
Applicants will be required to complete forms and answer specific questions online. The system will evaluate eligibility based on the provided data and responses, ensuring fairness and transparency in the selection process.
