President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to inaugurate the long-awaited student loan program in Abuja on Wednesday, February 21. Sources revealed that the launch had been delayed until now to ensure the administrative and logistical infrastructure is perfected.
At the launch event, the application portal will be introduced, where applicants will input essential personal details like their national identification number (NIN), bank verification number (BVN), and JAMB number, all of which will be stored in their digital records for streamlined verification.
The student loan is available to Nigerian students enrolled in tertiary institutions. Beneficiaries are required to commence repayment within two years of securing employment after completing their national youth service.
Akintunde Sawyerr, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), confirmed the launch date, stating, “The portal will go live on February 21. The application process will be fully technology-driven. This is to create a level field for eligible students by removing avenues for graft, bias and prejudice usually associated with human interaction.”