By Omojola S-OJ The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, on Friday paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Sokoto State, His Excellency Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, as part of ongoing stakeholder engagement efforts to strengthen collaboration with state governments.

The visit provided an opportunity to deepen the partnership between NELFUND and the Sokoto State Government in advancing access to higher education financing and increasing awareness of the Federal Government’s student loan programme among eligible students across the state. During the meeting, Mr. Sawyerr highlighted NELFUND’s mandate and reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that no qualified Nigerian student is denied access to tertiary education due to financial constraints. He emphasized the critical role of collaboration with state governments and key education stakeholders in driving awareness, encouraging participation, and ensuring the effective implementation of the student loan scheme.

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto welcomed the NELFUND delegation and commended the federal government’s efforts to expand educational opportunities through the student loan initiative. He expressed the Sokoto State Government’s readiness to support programs and initiatives that will enable more students in the state to benefit from the scheme. Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the Chief of Staff to the Governor, and the Permanent Secretary of the State Scholarship Board.

The visit forms part of NELFUND’s broader stakeholder engagement strategy aimed at fostering strategic partnerships with state governments and other stakeholders to ensure greater access to quality education and educational financing opportunities for Nigerian students.