The Nigerian government has acknowledged a delay in the launch of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund), a program designed to provide interest-free loans to students pursuing tertiary education. The program, originally slated to begin operation in September-October 2023, has been rescheduled for a March 2024 launch.
Dr. Akintunde Sawyerr, Executive Secretary of NELFund, explained the delay in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria. He emphasized that the program’s technical aspects require careful planning to ensure proper execution. “This is not a political program where we just launch something without proper function,” Dr. Sawyerr said. “[We are] trying to get it right.
“This is not a political programme where we say, oh! we are just going to do it, it doesn’t matter how it works.
“This is a programme that will, probably run beyond me as a human being, not even as a Secretary. This is something that we want to run adequately, so we have to get it right,’’ he said.
The Access to Higher Education Bill, signed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, paved the way for NELFund. This initiative aims to bridge the financial gap for students from low-income backgrounds, increasing access to higher education across Nigeria.
While the wait for the program continues, Dr. Sawyerr urged eligible students to prepare for registration, which will open this month through the NELFund portal. This announcement comes as welcome news for many students who have been eagerly awaiting the program’s launch.
