The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria’s South-East to take advantage of its interest-free loan scheme, designed to ease the financial burden of higher education.
This appeal was made during the 44th matriculation ceremony of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), which held on Friday. A total of 7,523 students were formally admitted into various postgraduate, undergraduate, and continuing education programmes for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr—represented by the Abia State Deputy Director of the scheme, Ugoeze Azubuike—encouraged new students to subscribe to the student loan programme.
“NELFUND is committed to providing accessible, transparent, and sustainable student loan support to enable students focus on their academic goals without the burden of financial hardship,” he said.
He added that the organisation is working closely with institutions such as ABSU and state governments across Nigeria to expand awareness and ensure more students benefit from the scheme.
“I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities provided through NELFUND. The student loan programme is designed to support your educational journey and ease financial barriers, allowing you to focus on achieving academic excellence,” he added.
Data from recent applications show that the South-East currently accounts for the lowest number of applicants for the loan, with only six per cent of the total
1.67 million applications recorded between May 2024 and February 2026 coming from the region. This has prompted increased efforts by NELFUND to sensitise students in the area.In response to growing interest, the loan application portal—which was previously scheduled to close on 27 February 2026—has been extended to give eligible students
more time to complete their submissions.
The student loan scheme, established in April 2024 following the signing of the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act by President Bola Tinubu, offers interest-free loans to students pursuing tertiary education in Nigeria.
Also addressing the matriculation ceremony, ABSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ndukwe Okeudo, urged the newly admitted students to focus on their academic pursuits and avoid distractions such as overindulgence in social media content creation and other anti-social activities.
“By the grace of God, we have recorded an unprecedented upsurge in admissions this year. This is a testament to the massive transformation taking place at the university and the transparent admission process adopted,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Agwu U. Agwu, also reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to implementing student-friendly policies and maintaining an environment conducive for learning, research, and community service.
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, represented by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Uche Eme, pledged continued investment in the education sector. He urged students to embrace the “new Abia mindset” and make the most of the opportunities before them.
