NELFUND extends student loan application portal for 2025/2026 session

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has announced a further extension of its Student Loan Application Portal for the 2025/2026 academic session, following requests from some institutions that sought additional time.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Strategic Communications at Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, the Fund explained that the extension is specifically for institutions that formally applied for more time.

The move is intended to give eligible students more opportunity to complete and submit their loan applications.

“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal for institutions that have formally requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read.

Commenting on the decision, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, reaffirmed the agency’s determination to ensure that qualified students in participating institutions benefit from the programme.

“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that eligible students across participating institutions have the opportunity to access the student loan programme,” he said.

The Fund encouraged students in the affected institutions to utilise the extended period by completing and submitting their applications through the official portal.

It also reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability while promoting sustainable financial support aimed at eliminating financial obstacles to higher education in Nigeria.

The scheme is administered by Nigerian Education Loan Fund under the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024.

The programme offers interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to help cover tuition fees and living costs. Beneficiaries are expected to repay the loans after completing their studies and gaining employment, a move designed to expand access to higher education for students from low-income families.