The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, has said the impartial disbursement of the fund has helped many indigent Nigerian students to face their educational pursuit without stress.
He said about 1 million students across various tertiary institutions in Nigeria have benefitted from the loan in the past two years.
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Saywerr spoke at the weekend in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, during the Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme for the Northcentral Zone with the theme: “Empowering Student with Digital Skills and Innovation.” The event took place at the Federal University of Lafia.
The NELFUND chief executive announced that about 1.8 million Nigerian students have applied to access the loan, but the agency has so far processed and paid about 1 million students.
He described the selection process as free and without the need to know anyone before applying for the loan.
Sawyerr assured all students that every one of them who applied for the loan with the status of “application successful” is entitled to the loan.
According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has made it possible for the less privileged Nigerian students to go to school without facing any financial stress.
The NELFUND MD urged the students to utilise the opportunity of the loan to apply and access it to enable them obtain higher educational qualifications.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, Asefon Sunday, assured fellow Nigerians that President Tinubu remained committed to the future of Nigerians and had invested in preparing Nigerian students for leadership, innovation, enterprenureship and digital economy.
He noted that with such an engagement, the President was cognisant that the future of Nigerian youths depends on the quality of education given to a child.
The vice chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia and chief host of the programme, Prof. Mohammed Isa Kida, said the university remained committed to producing graduates who are not only academically sound but also digitally competent, innovative, and entrepreneurial.
“We continue to strengthen our teaching, research, and learning environment through the integration of digital technologies and by encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and innovation among our students,” he said.
The vice chancellor hailed the Tinubu administration for investing in students’ development.
He cautioned students against involvement in criminal activities that undermine the integrity of their institutions.
“Students are urged to avoid cultism, kidnapping, cybercrime, examination malpractice, and other social vices. Any student found culpable will face disciplinary action, including expulsion, where applicable. You should know that your future is too important to be jeopardised by unlawful conduct,” Kida said.
Credit: Thenation
