The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on all accredited tertiary institutions nationwide to collaborate with the organisation in updating and uploading the records of both returning and newly admitted students on the NELFUND Student Verification Portal ahead of the 2025/2026 academic session.
In a statement on Thursday, the Fund’s spokesperson, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, described the directive as a proactive measure to ensure a smooth verification and loan application process when the portal officially opens.
According to NELFUND, institutions are expected to ensure that each student’s data is accurately captured using their admission number or any other unique and verifiable identifier. The Fund noted that only students whose information has been uploaded and verified by their institutions will be eligible to apply for and benefit from the loan scheme.
“NELFUND recognises the vital role that tertiary institutions play in the success of the Education Loan Scheme and seeks their continued cooperation and partnership in expanding access to higher education for all eligible Nigerian students,” the statement read.
Institutions have been urged to promptly commence and complete the upload process while designating appropriate officers to oversee the exercise in line with the technical guidelines provided by NELFUND.
The data verification process, conducted through the Student Loan Access System (SLAS) portal, involves confirming and uploading student records. Once verified, a student’s status on the system will automatically change to “Disbursed,” indicating that the approved loan has been processed and paid.
Oluwatuyi added that the collaboration between NELFUND and tertiary institutions is crucial to ensuring transparency, efficiency, and accountability in loan processing and disbursement.
He further emphasised that the Fund’s goal is to ensure that “no eligible student is left behind” as it prepares to open the application portal for the new academic year.
