NELFUND funding for nursing students jumps 14-fold to N812 million

 The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has increased funding for nursing and midwifery education nearly 14-fold to N811.9 million in the 2025/2026 academic session from N59.4 million in 2023/2024. 

The latest figure was disclosed in a statement issued by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Saturday. 

The increase brings NELFUND’s total disbursement for nursing and midwifery education across three academic sessions to more than N1.08 billion, benefiting 5,381 students across 21 Federal and State institutions. 

What NELFUND is saying   

NELFUND said its intervention in nursing and midwifery education has expanded significantly over the last three academic sessions as it increases financial support for students pursuing professional healthcare training. Funding rose from N59.4 million in 2023/2024 to N205.8 million in 2024/2025 and N811.9 million in 2025/2026. 

• “The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed over N1.08 billion in the education of 5,381 student nurses and midwives across 21 Federal and State institutions, strengthening access to professional training while supporting the development of Nigeria’s future healthcare workforce.” 

• “The intervention has recorded significant growth over three academic sessions, rising from N59.4 million in 2023/2024 to N205.8 million in 2024/2025 and N811.9 million in 2025/2026, an almost fourteen-fold increase in funding,” the statement read in part. 

The beneficiaries are drawn from institutions including the Oyo State College of Nursing, Shehu Sule College of Nursing, Lagos State College of Nursing, Ogun State College of Nursing, Katsina State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kebbi State College of Nursing and Cross River State Colleges of Nursing. 

More details

NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the Fund was investing in the human capital needed to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare workforce. He said the increase in funding showed what could be achieved when financial barriers to professional education were reduced. 

• “NELFUND is not simply providing financial assistance to students; we are investing in the human capital that Nigeria needs to move forward,” he said. 

• Sawyerr said the intervention was also reaching thousands of young women pursuing nursing and midwifery, creating opportunities for professional advancement and economic independence. 

• Executive Director, Operations, Mustapha Iyal, said the Fund would continue to focus on the timely delivery of support to eligible students. 

The institutions benefiting from the intervention are spread across several states, including Bauchi, Anambra, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory. 

More insights  

The increase in nursing and midwifery funding forms part of NELFUND’s broader student loan programme, which has expanded significantly since its application portal opened in May 2024. The Fund’s Student Loan Disbursement Status Report generated on September 3, 2026, showed that 1,659,853 applications had been processed. 

• N192.89 billion had been paid to 319 beneficiary institutions as institutional fees. 

• N162.98 billion had been disbursed directly to students as upkeep allowances. 

• Total student loan disbursements reached N355.87 billion as of September 3, 2026. 

This compared with N322.69 billion as of August 19 and N206.29 billion disbursed to 1,164,222 beneficiaries by March 2026. 

Get up to speed   

NELFUND’s rapid expansion has also brought operational challenges, particularly around upkeep payments. In January 2026, the Fund identified N927.98 million in unpaid upkeep allowances owed to 11,685 students due to failed transactions, network downtime and unvalidated bank details. 

• Some beneficiaries raised concerns in July over delays in receiving upkeep payments. 

• NELFUND subsequently proposed a digital token-based system for tuition payments to replace direct payments to tertiary institutions. 

• The Fund said the proposed system would give students greater control over tuition payments and reduce instances of double payments. 

• NELFUND also dismissed a viral claim in September that beneficiaries who failed to repay their loans after graduation could face life imprisonment. 

Under the existing repayment framework, beneficiaries begin repayment two years after completing the National Youth Service Corps, provided they have secured employment. 

What you should know   

The student loan programme is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce financial barriers to tertiary education. NELFUND was established under the revised Student Loan Act signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024, while its Student Loan Portal opened on May 24, 2024. 

• The programme initially targeted students in Federal tertiary institutions before expanding to state-owned institutions. 

• The Federal Government said it invested more than N1 trillion in tertiary education over two years, including N250 billion for new hostels, more than N150 billion for hostel, classroom and engineering workshop rehabilitation, and over N130 billion for medical school rehabilitation. 

NELFUND has said that the government is also working on a homegrown ranking system for universities and other tertiary institutions to assess institutional performance and establish benchmarks for higher education.