BREAKING: Tinubu’s FG Postpones Launch of Student Loan Portal for State Varsities, Gives Reason

BREAKING: Tinubu’s FG Postpones Launch of Student Loan Portal for State Varsities, Gives Reason

  • NELFUND has extended the student loan application process for state institutions, citing low data submissions
  • The agency noted that the process is extended by two weeks and the decision was made due to the failure of some institutions to upload the required student data and fee information to the NELFUND Student Verification System
  • Nasir Ayitogo, head, media and public relations for NELFUND confirmed the development via a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, June 25

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

On Tuesday, June 25, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led government through the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) postponed the application process for student loan for state-owned institutions.

NELFUND postpones student loan application
Students and President Bola Tinubu. Images for illustration. Photo credit: Scholarship Region, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Source: Facebook

Why the application was postponed for 2-weeks

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NELFUND, in a statement, shared on website via X, disclosed that the application was postponed for 14 days (two-weeks) due ”to low data submissions.”

The agency added that the decision was necessitated by the failure of several state-owned institutions to upload the required student data and fee information to the NELFUND Student Verification System.

According to the statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, signed by Nasir Ayitogo, the agency's head, media and public relations, only a limited number of state-owned institutions have successfully completed the data submission process.

Out of 48 state universities, only 20 have submitted data, while 12 out of 54 state colleges and 2 out of 49 state polytechnics have complied.

Benefit of the extension

Speaking further, NELFUND said the extension will provide additional time for state institutions to comply with the data submission requirements and ensure their students can benefit from the Federal Government student loan scheme.

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Part of the statement reads:

“To date, only a limited number of state-owned institutions have successfully completed the data submission process. These include 20 state universities out of 48, 12 state colleges out of 54, and 2 state polytechnics out of 49.
“While we acknowledge the efforts of these institutions, the failure to submit data from the remaining state institutions poses significant challenges to ensuring a seamless and accurate verification process for student loan applicants.
“The application window, initially set to open on June 25, 2024, will now commence on July 10, 2024.”

FG provides answers to questions on student loan

Meanwhile, Nigerians need answers to a lot of questions regarding the newly signed amended student loan bill by President Tinubu.

Tinubu signed the bill after the House of Representatives and the Nigerian Senate passed it for presidential approval.

The Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Social Media| National Convener of the PBAT Media Centre, Olusegun Dada, shared a video which highlighted some of the frequently asked questions about the scheme.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Esther Odili avatar

Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.