NELFUND now helping over 1.5 million students — FG
NELFUND
Abdullateef Fowewe
Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has announced that more than 1.5 million Nigerian students are now receiving support from the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), calling it “the biggest and fastest growing public student loan scheme in Africa.”
Idris in a statement on Thursday said, “More than 1.5 million Nigerian students are now benefiting from @NELFUND – now the biggest and fastest growing public student loan scheme in Africa.”
He added that “More than 280 billion Naira disbursed so far, in fees and upkeep allowances. Another promise fulfilled by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Idris posted an accompanying dashboard image that, he said, confirms 1,586,921 beneficiaries and a total of ₦282.2 billion disbursed as of early May 2026.
According to the minister, the funds have been channelled toward both institutional tuition fees and student upkeep allowances, a move the administration frames as expanding access to higher education for low- and middle-income Nigerians.
NELFUND was launched by the federal government to provide loans and grants aimed at reducing financial barriers to tertiary education.
The ministry’s statement credits President Tinubu with delivering on a campaign promise to prioritise educational financing.
