The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the education and welfare of Nigerian students, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approving more than ₦90 billion in funding for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a delegation of State Commissioners of Information led by Prof. Usman Tar, Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security.
According to Idris, the intervention has already enabled over 400,000 students in tertiary institutions across the country to continue their education without financial hardship.
“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 going to a tertiary institution,” he said.
He explained that the support goes beyond tuition fees, covering upkeep allowances to ease the living conditions of beneficiaries.
Idris emphasized that President Tinubu’s leadership is guided by inclusivity and fairness.
“This amount is not for school fees alone but also for the upkeep of over 400,000 students across different tertiary institutions in the country,” he noted.
He further urged Nigerians to evaluate government policies based on their impact rather than political affiliation.
“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 the NELFUND to stay in school. And also your people who have cancer need treatment and would have to access the Cancer Screening and Treatment Centre/Oncology that Tinubu provided,” Idris said.
Since its rollout, NELFUND has become one of the administration’s flagship education interventions. Daily status reports show that as of September 3, 780,089 students had registered on the platform, with 788,842 applications received. Out of these, 449,039 students have so far benefited.
As of August 6, 2025, total disbursements stood at ₦86.3 billion:
₦47.6 billion went to institutional fees across 218 beneficiary institutions.
₦38.7 billion was paid directly to students as upkeep allowances.
In a related development, NELFUND announced the relocation of its headquarters to a permanent office at House 12, Plot 103/104, Monrovia Street, Wuse 2, opposite Bon Hotel, Abuja, effective September 5, 2025.
With this initiative, the government projects that financial barriers to higher education will continue to be dismantled, ensuring more Nigerians have access to learning opportunities that build human capital for national growth.
