The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal following a surge in applications from students across the country.
This was disclosed in a statement by Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, Director of Strategic Communications at NELFUND.
The extension comes after the Fund had earlier reminded the public that the portal was set to close on 27 February 2026.
What NELFUND said
According to NELFUND, the extension by some additional days is to ensure all eligible students are given an adequate opportunity to complete their applications, pending further management decisions and communications.
- “The extension is specifically intended to accommodate students who require additional time, prospective applicants who became aware of the scheme during the recent nationwide sensitization engagements, institutions newly commencing their 2025/2026 academic session, and institutions who have not yet submitted their verified student lists,” the statement read.
NELFUND’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, added that the Fund remains committed to inclusivity and equitable access.
- “Our sensitization efforts across the six geopolitical zones have significantly increased awareness and participation. Therefore, in line with our mandate to expand access to tertiary education financing, we have approved an extension to ensure that all eligible students have a fair and equal opportunity to apply,” Sawyerr said.
The Fund did not specify how long the extension will remain open.
More details
NELFUND also stressed that institutions which have not started their 2025/2026 academic session must submit an official request for extension along with their approved academic calendar for consideration.
The fund encouraged students to use this window to complete their applications through the official NELFUND portal before it closes.
For further inquiries, students and institutions can contact NELFUND via email at info@nelf.gov.ng , official website: www.nelf.gov.ng or through its social media platforms.
What you should know
Since the launch of the NELFUND Student Loan Portal on 24 May 2024, the Fund has received a cumulative 1,704,174 applications from students across Nigeria. Out of these, 983,706 students have successfully benefited from the loan scheme.
- As of 1 February 2026, a total of N183.89 billion had been disbursed, with N107.09 billion covering institutional fees and N76.80 billion allocated for student upkeep allowances.
- Following the 2024/2025 academic session, NELFUND identified N927.98 million in unpaid upkeep allowances owed to 11,685 students, attributed to technical issues such as failed transactions, unvalidated bank accounts, and network downtime. The Fund has initiated a reconciliation process to address these arrears, engaging directly with affected students and institutions to ensure payments are completed once verification is finalised.
Private university students remain temporarily excluded due to high fees, limited data on financial capacity, and funding constraints, though they are not permanently left out.
