The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced a significant milestone in its mission to support tertiary education, revealing that a total of 788,947 students have now benefited from the federal government's student loan initiative.
Breaking Down the N140.88 Billion Disbursement
According to the latest data released by the agency on its official social media platforms, the total value of loans disbursed as of November 12, 2025, stands at a staggering N140.88 billion. The breakdown shows that N82.34 billion has been paid directly to institutions as tuition fees on behalf of beneficiaries. An additional N58.53 billion has been paid directly to the students themselves as upkeep allowances to support their living costs while studying.
The scheme, launched by President Bola Tinubu's administration in 2024, was established to assist indigent students in accessing higher education amidst soaring tuition fees across the country. Since the application portal went live, NELFUND has recorded a total of 1,193,228 applications from students in 262 tertiary institutions nationwide. In a recent weekly performance report covering November 24 to 30, the agency confirmed that 35,773 applications were successfully completed.
Student Experiences: Praise and Frustration
While the scheme has provided crucial financial support to hundreds of thousands, its implementation has faced challenges. Some beneficiaries have reported inconsistencies in the disbursement of funds. Sadiq Abubakar, a law student at the University of Ibadan, shared his experience, noting that the payment of upkeep allowance has been irregular.
"I did not receive my allowance in August but received it in October. I am yet to receive for November," he stated.
Another University of Ibadan student, Segun Adeosun, expressed frustration over delays in tuition fee disbursement. "They did not disburse the last one until after the deadline set by UI. Some of my colleagues quickly raised money on their own to pay the fees themselves, but I didn't have the money, so I had to go and make a case for myself at the admin department," Adeosun explained.
Northern Universities Lead Application Numbers
Data from the scheme indicates that universities in northern Nigeria are dominating the application list. Bayero University, Kano, leads with 27,736 applications, closely followed by the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, with 24,810 applications. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) secured 23,338 applications, while the University of Ilorin rounded out the top five with 21,921 applications.
Other institutions with significant application numbers include:
- University of Uyo: 15,681 applications
- Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology: 15,021 applications
- Taraba State University: 14,989 applications
- Federal University Dutse: 14,767 applications
- Federal University of Kashere: 14,698 applications
The agency continues to process new applications, with 3,367 fresh applications recorded in a single day prior to the report. As tuition costs continue to rise across Nigerian universities, the NELFUND scheme remains a critical intervention for ensuring educational access for financially disadvantaged students.
