The Federal Government has committed over ₦90 billion to support more than 400,000 students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting with a delegation of State Commissioners of Information led by Prof. Usman Tar of Borno State.
He explained that the initiative, launched by President Bola Tinubu, was designed to ensure no Nigerian student is denied access to higher education due to financial hardship.
“On no account should a Nigerian child of school age be denied going to a tertiary institution,” Idris stated, noting that the scheme covers tuition fees as well as upkeep allowances.
Daily status reports show that as of September 3, a total of 780,089 students have registered on the platform, while 788,842 applications have been received. So far, 449,039 students have benefitted from the scheme.
As of August 6, disbursements had reached ₦86.3 billion, with ₦47.6 billion covering institutional fees in 218 institutions, while ₦38.7 billion was paid directly to students for upkeep.
Idris urged Nigerians to assess government initiatives beyond political lines, stressing that Tinubu’s leadership was committed to serving all citizens.
“Nigeria under Tinubu is on the path to prosperity. This is my message to you. We are in government to serve the interests of all, irrespective of political parties,” he said.
