Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bali in Taraba State have organized a party to express overwhelming joy and appreciation to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for providing them with the financial support that enabled them to continue their tertiary education.
The beneficiaries described the Federal Government’s student loan initiative as a life-changing intervention, saying it has removed the financial barriers that previously threatened their academic dreams.
According to the students, NELFUND paid their institutional fees directly to the Polytechnic while also providing them with a monthly upkeep allowance of N20,000 helping them meet basic living expenses on campus. NELFUND’s student loan programme provides eligible students with institutional fee support and monthly upkeep allowances to improve access to higher education.
Several beneficiaries said the intervention relieved their parents and guardians of the burden of raising tuition fees amid the country’s economic challenges. One of the students noted that without the NELFUND support, completing registration for the academic session would have been difficult.
“The payment of our school fees and the monthly upkeep allowance have given us peace of mind. We can now focus on our studies instead of worrying about where the money will come from,” the student said.
Another beneficiary described the scheme as a “renewed hope” for students from low-income families, adding that many of their colleagues who were on the verge of dropping out have remained in school because of the intervention.
The students commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing and sustaining the student loan programme and also praised the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, for ensuring the transparent and timely implementation of the scheme.
They urged the Federal Government to continue strengthening the programme so that more Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions can benefit from the initiative. While encouraging eligible students who are yet to apply for the loan to take advantage of the opportunity, they described NELFUND as one of the most impactful education support programmes introduced in recent years.
Across Nigeria, tertiary institutions and student beneficiaries have continued to acknowledge the positive impact of NELFUND, with many praising the payment of institutional charges and upkeep allowances for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.