AGS NEWS – The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) announced that the portal for student loan applications will open on May 24, 2024.

Nasir Ayantogo, NELFund’s media lead, stated that this launch signifies President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to accessible and inclusive education for all Nigerian students.

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President Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act, 2023, on June 12, 2023, enabling indigent students to access interest-free loans for their education in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This act, known as the Students Loan Law, also established the NELFund to manage loan requests, grants, disbursements, and recoveries.

Originally set to launch in September, the scheme faced delays and was postponed indefinitely in March.

The delay was attributed to President Tinubu’s directive to expand the scheme to include vocational skills training loans.

After meeting with the NELFund team, led by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, on January 22, Tinubu directed the Fund to offer loans for skill-development programs, emphasizing the importance of both vocational skills and academic qualifications.

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The new portal, available at www.nelf.gov.ng, will provide a user-friendly interface for students to apply for loans easily.

Ayantogo encouraged eligible students to use this opportunity to invest in their futures and contribute to national development.