The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed N280 million in interest-free loans to 3,000 students from tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State. The announcement was made by NELFUND Managing Director and CEO, Akintunde Sawyerr, during a cheque presentation ceremony in Lafia, the state capital, on Wednesday.
Sawyerr highlighted that this initiative, undertaken in partnership with the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency, is aimed at alleviating the financial burden faced by indigent students in accessing quality education. He urged beneficiaries to seize this opportunity to improve their future prospects.
The loan is designed to support students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, by reducing financial barriers to higher education. Sawyerr emphasized the transparency of the loan application process and assured all eligible students across Nigeria that they can apply without concerns of bias.
Out of 12,000 applicants from Nasarawa State, 3,000 were approved after verification of their data. Sawyerr praised the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency and its Director General, Habiba Suleiman, for their dedication to ensuring the success of the program.
“This marks a significant milestone in our partnership with Nasarawa State. Several institutions have completed the verification process, and we are now distributing cheques to those institutions,” Sawyerr said. He also noted that nationwide, 275,000 students have applied for the loans, with Nasarawa accounting for 12,000 applications, of which 3,000 have been approved, leading to the disbursement of N280 million.
The Acting Governor of Nasarawa State, Emmanuel Akabe, expressed gratitude to NELFUND for supporting students in the state and encouraged beneficiaries to utilize the loans effectively to secure a brighter future.
Habiba Suleiman, Director General of the Human Capital Development Agency, also commended NELFUND, the state government, and its leadership for their commitment to improving access to quality education. She further highlighted that the initiative reflects President Tinubu’s dedication to human capital development, stating that by making education more accessible and affordable, the program is paving the way for future generations to achieve prosperity.
