The Federal Government has announced that it has committed more than ₦90 billion to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a landmark initiative aimed at easing financial stress for students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday during a courtesy visit from the platform of State Commissioners of Information led by Professor Usman Tar, Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security.
Idris explained that the intervention, introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is designed to ensure that no Nigerian child is denied higher education due to financial hardship.
According to him, the scheme goes beyond tuition fees, as it also provides upkeep allowances to students.
“The Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu has committed ₦90 billion to NELFUND.
Tinubu’s vision is that, on no account, should a Nigerian child of school age be denied access to tertiary education,” Idris said.
The Minister stressed that this funding demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusive development, regardless of political, ethnic, or religious affiliations.
He added that Tinubu’s administration is determined to serve the interests of all Nigerians.
Since its rollout, NELFUND has become one of the flagship programs of the Tinubu administration.
Daily status reports show that as of September 3, 780,089 students had registered on the platform, while 788,842 applications were received. Out of these, 449,039 students have already benefited from the scheme.
Disbursement figures further highlight the scale of the program.
By August 6, 2025, a total of ₦86.3 billion had been released. Of this, ₦47.6 billion was allocated to cover institutional fees across 218 beneficiary institutions, while ₦38.7 billion was paid directly to students as upkeep allowances.
Idris urged Nigerians to evaluate government policies on merit rather than political sentiment.
“If you will not listen to me because I was appointed by President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, don’t forget that your children need NELFUND to stay in school,” he said.
He also linked the initiative to broader government efforts in health and social welfare, citing the establishment of Cancer Screening and Treatment Centres as another example of Tinubu’s commitment to improving citizens’ lives.
The Minister concluded by reaffirming that the President’s leadership remains focused on long-term prosperity, education access, and fairness for all Nigerians.
With thousands of new applications still being processed, NELFUND is expected to expand its reach, securing the future of millions of students whose education might otherwise have been cut short due to financial struggles.
