PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
In fulfillment of one of his campaign promises, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday launched the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) application portal.
In his address at the ceremony on Wednesday, Tinubu stated that education plays a vital role in fighting poverty, insecurity and fostering national development.
He said: “What I believe is that education is the greatest weapon against poverty in any society; without education, there is no vision, there is no development, and you cannot successfully conquer insecurity.
“Education is that light at the end of the tunnel; no matter how sluggish you move, it will give you the light and the hope.”
Tinubu noted that Nigeria will continue to invest in education to empower its citizens and deploy it as a tool against terrorism, banditry, and insecurity.
The Nigerian leader added: “And we are investing, we don’t want to try ignorance as an alternative; we want education from the foundation to the topmost level, and I am glad that NELFUND leadership and the board accepted the responsibility.
“Today I am fulfilling one of my greatest campaign agendas. You cannot find your way if you are not well educated; you cannot even fight terrorism and banditry.
“If we have a successful inclusive loan that is necessary for our people to get educated and invest in their own lives, we would have built a fair society and a promise that we will leave a banner without stain to our children.”
Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Fund’s Managing Director/CEO, disclosed that 160,000 students have registered for the scheme, and 110,000 students have already applied for interest-free loans.
Sawyerr noted a growing awareness of the scheme despite initial scepticism.
“The aim of NELFUND is to empower Nigerian youths by providing fair, transparent funding and removing financial barriers to educational opportunities and academic pursuits,” he said.
Sawyer, addressing newsmen, said the NELFUND program is an important initiative that will have a significant impact on the lives of many Nigerians, both now and in the future.
He said that by providing opportunities to the most capable and needy citizens, this program has the potential to uplift communities and shape the country’s future.
He said: “It is an ambitious and bold move that will undoubtedly bring prosperity not just to the president but to the entire nation.”
He clarified that the fund enables students to apply for loans to pay for tuition and maintenance allowances, noting that the institutions receive the loans directly while the students receive the student stipends.
The NELFUND CEO also disclosed that the fund has seen a surge in applications from students in the country’s northern region.
He added: “The zones with the highest and the segments of the institutions with the highest—I can say to you that institutions in the north of the country have been very proactive at supporting and helping their students and in providing their data to us.
“So that’s where the learning is currently, but that to be is expected because they seem to be very well organized in terms of networking in the northern part of the country.
“In the southern part of the country, there’s growing awareness, and there is growing interest. I think there’s been a lot of skepticism, generally, and I think the most sceptical parts of the country are in the south. The question is, “Is it true? Is it real? Is it a scam? and I think what you witnessed today with us actually starting this disbursement program is to say that ‘this is not NO FUND, This is NELFUND’.
“We are trying to ensure that people know that this is not a trick; it’s not a game. Mr. President has backed this with cash, and we’re going to disburse that cash. So I think we’ll see the skepticism that you can find mainly in the southern part begin to disappear when we start paying out.
“In terms of the three levels of institutions, the universities are the ones with the highest demand for the loans; then, I think, it’s followed by the polytechnics and then the teacher-training colleges. and I think it’s probably going to remain that way; the bias is going to remain that way.”
The NELFUND Programme aims to provide interest-free loans to students, with the goal of making higher education accessible to all Nigerians regardless of their economic background.
The fund is backed by President Bola Tinubu and is expected to have a significant impact on the country’s education sector.
The repayment process begins two years after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.
“Repayment is flexible. 10% of your earnings will be deducted until the loan is fully paid. Extensions and loan forgiveness are available under certain conditions, such as unemployment or permanent disability,” NELFUND said in its bulletin shared at the event.
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