The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the opening of its student loan application portal for the 2025/2026 academic session, providing financial assistance to eligible students across the country.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Fund’s Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Sawyerr, the online application portal will open on Thursday, October 23, 2025, and close on Saturday, January 31, 2026, covering the entire admission cycle for the academic year.
He commended tertiary institutions for their cooperation so far and urged continued collaboration to ensure a transparent and efficient loan process for both returning and newly admitted students.
Sawyerr emphasized the importance of accurate and verified student data, directing all tertiary institutions to update their records on the Student Verification Portal to enable seamless loan processing.
“To support a smooth rollout, institutions should note key details: the portal opens on October 23, 2025, and closes January 31, 2026. Timely updates will ensure students are not left out,” he stated.
He added that eligible applicants include both new and returning students of accredited tertiary institutions. First-year students may use their admission or JAMB numbers in place of matriculation numbers for verification.
Sawyerr also appealed to institutions to show flexibility with registration and fee payment deadlines for students awaiting loan disbursements, to prevent disruptions to their academic activities.
He further advised institutions that have yet to commence the 2025/2026 session to forward their academic calendars to NELFUND to aid in the planning and scheduling of disbursements.
The NELFUND chief urged schools to provide temporary registration arrangements for students with pending loan applications to ensure that no qualified student is denied access to education due to financial delays.
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