Student Loan Voluntary, Not Compulsory – NELFUND

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has clarified that accessing the scholar mortgage scheme is voluntary and never a obligatory requirement for college students in Nigerian tertiary establishments.

In a press release issued on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, the Fund reaffirmed its dedication to making sure that eligible Nigerian college students who genuinely want monetary help can entry interest-free loans to pursue their schooling.

NELFUND defined that the scholar mortgage scheme was established to supply monetary help to Nigerian college students who require help to fulfill the price of their schooling, including that it was designed to take away monetary obstacles to larger schooling, promote equal entry to studying alternatives and be sure that no eligible pupil is denied schooling merely due to monetary constraints.

According to the Fund, the choice to use for and entry the mortgage must be primarily based on a person pupil’s monetary circumstances and real want for help, stressing that college students who don’t require monetary help are below no obligation to use for or entry the ability.

The Fund famous that making entry to the mortgage obligatory for all college students, no matter their monetary circumstances, would run opposite to the scheme’s elementary objective, stating that its goal is to not encourage each pupil to borrow, however to make sure that each eligible Nigerian pupil who genuinely wants monetary help has the chance to entry it.

It described the scholar mortgage scheme as a help mechanism and never an obligation.

NELFUND additional emphasised that the scholar mortgage is interest-free and is meant to assist beneficiaries overcome monetary difficulties related to pursuing larger schooling, however added that like each monetary facility, it comes with reimbursement obligations in accordance with the provisions of the Student Loans Act.

It subsequently inspired college students to grasp the phrases and situations of the scheme and make knowledgeable choices earlier than making use of.

The Fund additionally inspired tertiary establishments, pupil leaders and different stakeholders to supply correct details about the scheme and information college students appropriately, notably those that require monetary help to proceed their schooling, whereas restating its dedication to making sure that monetary hardship doesn’t stand in the best way of a Nigerian pupil’s academic aspirations.

The clarification comes amid outrage over a controversial coverage on the Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu (ESCET), circulated on the social media, the place an inner memo and leaked WhatsApp conversations revealed that the establishment had made making use of for the NELFUND mortgage necessary for college students.

According to an inner memorandum, the faculty administration mandated that every one college students, each on the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and diploma ranges, should enroll and entry the mortgage.

The memo dated October 6, 2026 and signed by the Acting Registrar, Patrick A. Aneke, said that it’s now obligatory for each pupil in NCE and Degree programmes to enroll and entry the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, and directed all contemporary and persevering with college students to go to the workplace of the College NELFUND Desk Officer, Dr. Rufina Agu, and apply for the fund for the 2026/2027 educational session, whereas additionally directing all Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments and the Student Union Government to tell college students accordingly.

The report famous that college students who fail to conform had been dealing with threats of being barred from taking examinations or pressured to drop out totally.