Student Loan: Over 100 institutions miss out as NELFUND commences second phase of applications

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has said only 36 state-owned institutions have complied with the directive to upload their students’ data to its platform to enable them benefit from the fund.

The agency said only students of these institutions can now apply for the loan scheme introduced by the Nigerian government to address the difficulties being experienced by Nigerian students to access tertiary education in the country.

Students of the remaining 115 state-owned tertiary institutions are not yet eligible to apply due to their institutions’ failure to upload their data to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).

“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is pleased to announce that students enrolled in the following 36 state-owned tertiary institutions can now apply for student loans effective today, 7th July,” the government agency posted on its X handle on Sunday.

“The management of these institutions have successfully submitted their student data to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).”

Postponement

NELFUND had earlier postponed by 14 days the commencement of the application process’s second phase, which is expected to capture state-owned institutions over the failure of institutions to upload their students’ data.

NELFUND said two weeks ago that only 34 institutions had uploaded their students’ data.

The government agency expects student data from 48 state universities, 49 polytechnics, and 54 colleges of education.

“We urge all other state-owned tertiary institutions to submit their complete student data to the NELFUND Student Verification System timely to enable their students benefit from the scheme.”

Why institutions need to upload data

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, had said institutions’ failure to provide their students’ data might result in their students missing out on the programme.

“Unfortunately, if the institutional data is not there, we can’t give the loan. And so, it is ultimately the applicant that will pay the price,” he had said in May.

The spokesperson for the agency, Nasir Ayitogo, also said incomplete or incorrect data submissions by the institutions would result in application delays and potential disqualification for affected students.

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“Institutions that fail to meet the revised deadline risk putting at a disadvantage their students who depend on these loans to support their education,” he had said.

Compliant institutions

1. Adamawa State University, Mubi

2. Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri

3. Borno State University

4. Mohammed Lawan College of Agriculture, Borno State

5. Edo State University, Uzairue

6. Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti

7. Gombe State University

8. Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Imo State

9. Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo

10. Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria

11. Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano

12. Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina

13. Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management

14. Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero

15. Confluence University of Science and Technology, Kogi state

16. Lagos State University of Education

17. Lagos State University

18. Nasarawa State University, Keffi

19. Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State

20. University of Medical Sciences, Ondo

21. Osun State University

22. University Of Ilesa, Osun State

23. Government Technical College (Gtc), Ara, Osun State

24. Government Technical College (Gtc), Gbongan Osun State

25. Government Technical College (Gtc), Ijebu-Jesa Osun State

26. Government Technical College (Gtc), Ile-Ife, Osun State

27. Government Technical College (Gtc), Inisa, Osun State

28. Government Technical College (Gtc), Iwo Osun State

29. Government Technical College (Gtc), Osu, Osun State

30. Government Technical College (Gtc), Otan Ayegbaju Osun State

31. Osun State College Of Education, Ila-Orangun

32. Government Technical College, Ile-Ife

33. Osun State College Of Technology, Esa-Oke

34. Taraba State University, Jalingo

35. Umar Suleiman College of Education, Gashua, Yobe State

36. Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe