The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged students in higher institutions across southern Nigeria to apply for loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to ease their financial challenges in pursuing higher education.
In a statement signed on Monday by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, Clerk of the Senate at NANS National Headquarters, and released in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the association expressed concern over the low application rate for the student loan among students in southern Nigeria.
Odunayo highlighted that the education loan scheme, introduced by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, is aimed at fostering sustainable higher education and skill development for Nigerian students. He noted that students from the northern region have been utilizing the loan more effectively and encouraged their southern counterparts to follow suit.
“The loan scheme is an opportunity for students to ease their financial burden while pursuing their education. Southern students will only be doing themselves a disservice if they fail to emulate their northern counterparts in taking advantage of this initiative,” Odunayo stated.
He praised NELFUND for streamlining the application process, making it accessible and less cumbersome for students, and commended President Tinubu for establishing the program.
Odunayo also emphasized the impact of the loan scheme on the lives of indigent students, noting that it has enabled many to achieve their educational dreams. He urged NELFUND to continue maintaining accountability and transparency in its operations.
However, the NANS Clerk called on the agency to intensify its publicity efforts, especially in the southern region, to raise awareness about the loan scheme and its benefits.
“This initiative has already transformed lives, and with increased awareness, more students can benefit from it,” he concluded.
