The Nigerian Education Loan Fund said it will partner with Yaba College of Technology to expand access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training, especially for apprentices and tradesmen in the informal sector.

The partnership was cemented during a high-level stakeholder engagement held at YABATECH on Thursday, where NELFUND Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, visited the institution to discuss the student loan rollout and explore new inclusion models for non-traditional learners.

Speaking at the event, Sawyerr emphasised NELFUND’s commitment to ensuring that financial support reaches every Nigerian learner, including those pursuing vocational and technical education through informal or non-traditional pathways.

“What YABATECH is doing with its Workplace Learning Centres is exactly the type of model we want to support. If apprentices in places like Computer Village are given structured, certifiable training, NELFUND can provide them with the financial backing to complete that training,” Sawyerr said.

He added that expanding loan access beyond conventional tertiary institutions aligned with the Fund’s vision of inclusive human capital development.

“Education is not limited to lecture halls and degree programs. It includes the acquisition of practical, marketable skills. That’s why we’re exploring how to fund not just university students but also young Nigerians in technical and vocational pathways,” he added.

While at the event, Sawyerr also addressed public concerns about delays in loan disbursements, refund processes, and complaints from students who paid fees before their loans were approved.

“Some students who paid their fees early are now due for refunds, but most institutions don’t have a structured refund process or students’ bank account details. It’s a new challenge, and we’re working through it,” he said.

He also responded to a recommendation by the ICPC to refund money into a recovery account.

“There is no recovery here. No one stole money. Refunds should either go to the students directly or be managed through NELFUND. We have to protect the integrity of this process,” he explained.

On the eligibility of graduated students, he clarified that NELFUND would not penalise students who finished their programs before receiving disbursements.

“Graduation is not a crime. We will disburse to them as long as they applied when eligible. Many planned their finances based on this loan, and we will honor that,” he said.

Sawyerr said further, “If we can empower apprentices, technicians, and tradesmen with financing, training, and certification, we will not just improve livelihoods, we will drive economic transformation.”

In his remarks, the Rector of YABATECH, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, disclosed that the college has already begun formalising apprenticeship systems through its Workplace Learning Centre in Ikeja’s Computer Village, where many young Nigerians undergo informal training in ICT, mobile phone repairs, and computer maintenance.

“We observed that many apprentices undergo unstructured training and leave without any certification, making them undervalued and underpaid. So we went to where the apprentices are and established a Workplace Learning Centre,” Abdul said.

He explained that the centre trains both the master craftsmen and their apprentices under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework and prepares them for national certification.

“Without certification, they lose confidence and earning power. Our goal is to formalise their training, certify them, and now, through NELFUND, provide access to financing that can help them pay for that training,” he added.

Abdul stressed that YABATECH was a registered NSQF training provider with qualified assessors and a robust system for skills training.

He called on the Federal Government to continue supporting institutions that bridge the gap between the informal and formal sectors.

YABATECH, currently in the process of transitioning into a degree-awarding university, reiterated its commitment to maintaining its technical education legacy.

“We are proud of our TVET identity. As we move toward becoming a university, we are not abandoning our roots. Rather, we are expanding them,” Dr. Abdul noted.

He also said that the college had consolidated all tuition components and conducted sensitisation across departments to ensure smooth implementation of the loan scheme.

“We’ve streamlined our fee structure and worked with our Accounts and Academic departments to make sure no student is caught off guard,” he added. (The PUNCH)