The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has reported that male students are applying for the Federal Government’s zero-interest education loans at a 4:1 ratio compared to female students, urging more female students to take advantage of the initiative to bridge the gap.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, made this known during the NELFUND Women Forum Programme in Abuja on Monday, in celebration of the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD).
He was represented by Ms. Oluwatosin Sanusi, NELFUND’s Head of Investments and Funds Management.
Sawyerr pointed out that female students were not utilizing the loan opportunities as much as their male counterparts. The ratio of female applicants to male applicants is 1:4, a figure he described as unimpressive.
“The NELFUND initiative is all about providing loans for students in tertiary institutions, to pay for their fees and to take care of their welfare.
“Currently we have a ratio of 4 to 1, which means for every four male applicants, we have just one female, which isn’t impressive.”
Skill acquisition programme to be rolled out
In addition to funding education, Sawyerr highlighted the skill acquisition component of the NELFUND initiative, which aims to empower students through entrepreneurship training.
“There is also another part of the initiative which is the skill acquisition and it is under way and it would also cover educational fees and fund purchases of equipment for entrepreneurship training.
“The skills acquisition programme places students on a monthly stipend, which is laudable; however, we have fewer women who are taking advantage of this initiative,” he said.
The programme is designed to help students gain practical skills while receiving financial support, further enhancing their ability to be self-sufficient post-graduation.
Efforts to boost female participation
To address the low participation rate, Sawyerr stated that NELFUND was collaborating with women stakeholders to increase awareness of the loan initiative and its benefits.
However, he also stressed that loan repayment was crucial for the sustainability of the programme.
“Timely repayment would allow for the expansion of the initiative, enabling more students across all government-owned institutions to benefit,” he noted.
- He further clarified that the education loan was accessible to students at various levels in universities and polytechnics within federal and state-owned institutions, while the skill acquisition loan extended beyond tertiary students.
- Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmed, praised the Federal Government’s commitment to gender equity and urged female students to seize educational opportunities. Represented by Dr. Mufida Hussain, she stressed the need for bold action to break barriers and highlighted government investments in gender-balanced initiatives to ensure financial constraints do not hinder girls’ education.
- Ms. Choice Enebeli, the National President of Female Students of Nigeria, praised NELFUND’s efforts in advocating for more female applications.
“Women’s rights are human rights, and we must continue to strive for a world where women and girls have equal access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and leadership positions,” she said.
Enebeli pledged to spearhead an awareness campaign on the educational loan across the country to encourage more female students to apply.
Mrs. Chioma Nweze, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, encouraged female students to be proactive in seeking opportunities rather than waiting for them. She emphasized the importance of taking initiative and claiming available opportunities.
