Following a remarkable intake of 1.69 million applications and a disbursement of ₦183.8bn, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has decided to extend the deadline for its Student Loan Application Portal. This extension is to handle the huge interest sparked by its current awareness campaign.
The decision was formalised in a statement signed on Monday by the Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi. The statement read in part, “The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal following a significant increase in awareness and nationwide demand generated by its ongoing sensitisation campaign.”
This development provides relief to various groups, including students who require more time to file their requests and institutions that have just begun the 2025/2026 academic session. Additionally, schools yet to submit verified student lists will benefit from the new window. The statement further noted, “The Fund has approved some additional days to ensure all eligible students are given adequate opportunity to complete their applications, pending further management decisions and communications.”
Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, explained that the move aligns with the Fund’s mandate to broaden access to education financing. “Our sensitisation efforts across the six geopolitical zones have significantly increased awareness and participation. Therefore, in line with our mandate to expand access to tertiary education financing, we have approved an extension to ensure that all eligible students have a fair and equal opportunity to apply,” Sawyerr noted.
The extension comes after a reminder last week that the portal was scheduled to close on February 27, 2026. NELFUND has advised institutions yet to commence their academic session to submit an official extension request along with their approved academic calendar. Established by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024 to provide interest free loans, the scheme aims to remove financial barriers for students in public tertiary institutions. Applications opened in May 2024, allowing beneficiaries to access funds for tuition and living expenses, with repayment commencing after graduation and employment.
