The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the Ogun State Government to strengthen awareness and participation in the Federal Government’s students’ loan scheme.
The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking with journalists after a courtesy visit to Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Oke-Mosan Government House, Abeokuta.
Sawyerr described NELFUND as a flagship initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, designed to ensure that Nigerians have access to financial support to pursue and complete their education, regardless of background.
He commended Ogun State for its strong focus on education, noting that the Fund recognises the governor’s proactive efforts in promoting the loan scheme and encouraging widespread enrolment among students.
“Part of this meeting is to appreciate the governor for what he is doing. Going forward, we have agreed to deepen our collaboration and support for the state because it has the highest number of educational institutions in the country,” Sawyerr said.
According to him, Ogun State remains a strategic focus for NELFUND due to its concentration of secondary and tertiary institutions, making sustained sensitization critical to the success of the scheme.
“This state, more than any other, really needs sensitization. There are numerous secondary and tertiary institutions here, and that is why we are focusing on Ogun,” he added.
Sawyerr revealed that the Fund has secured firm commitments from the Ogun State Government, including assurances from Governor Abiodun to introduce additional incentives aimed at encouraging students in the state to embrace the loan scheme.
Speaking on ongoing public enlightenment efforts, he explained that while NELFUND has maintained an aggressive sensitization campaign since its launch last year, Nigeria’s large population necessitates continuous engagement.
With an estimated population of 238 million, he noted that many Nigerians are still unaware of the programme, partly due to long-standing public mistrust of government initiatives.
“In just a few months of our existence, we have received over 1.2 million applications, which is significant for an 18-month-old scheme.
“There has been mistrust in government for decades, so some people dismiss the initiative outright. But each time we pay beneficiaries, our application numbers double or triple,” he said.
He added that reaching all communities across the country requires time and substantial resources, explaining why some areas are yet to be fully sensitized.
Sawyerr urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to take advantage of the students’ loan scheme to advance their education. He also encouraged those already familiar with NELFUND’s programmes to share information with friends, families and colleagues to help expand awareness and participation nationwide.