By PRISCILLA OSAJE

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the opening of its student loan application portal for the 2025/2026 academic session, offering financial access to eligible students nationwide.

Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, made the announcement in a statement released by the Fund’s Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Sawyerr stated that the application portal would be open from Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, to Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, covering the full admission cycle of the academic year.

He expressed appreciation to tertiary institutions for their cooperation so far and urged further collaboration to ensure a smooth, transparent, and inclusive loan process for both returning and newly admitted students.

The NELFUND boss reminded institutions to update and upload verified student records, both new intakes and returning students, on the Student Verification Portal to enable seamless loan applications and access to benefits.

He emphasised that accurate institutional data was a critical requirement for students to successfully apply for and benefit from the student loan scheme under the National Education Loan Programme.

“To support a seamless rollout, institutions should note key details: portal opens Oct. 23, 2025, and closes Jan. 31, 2026. Timely updates will ensure students are not left out.”

Sawyerr added that eligible students included those newly admitted and those returning to accredited tertiary institutions.

According to him, first-year applicants can use admission or JAMB numbers in place of matriculation numbers for verification.

He appealed to institutions to be flexible with registration and fee deadlines for students awaiting disbursement, to avoid disruptions to their academic progress due to financial constraints.

Sawyerr also urged institutions that had not begun the 2025/2026 session to send their academic calendars to NELFUND, for consideration in the scheduling and rollout of disbursements.

He called for temporary registration measures to accommodate students with pending loan applications, so that no qualified applicant was denied access to education due to financial delays.

“For technical support or enquiries, institutions can contact NELFUND via email at data@nelf.gov.ng.” (NAN)