The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced plans to develop specialised software to ensure that students with disabilities in higher institutions can fully benefit from its loan scheme.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, revealed this initiative during a stakeholders’ engagement on student loans in Benin City, Edo State. According to a statement by the Fund on Sunday, Sawyerr emphasized that the loan scheme guarantees equal opportunities for all students. He added that NELFUND would collaborate with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to enhance inclusivity.
“We want to make the application process easier for visually impaired students by introducing specific software to assist them,” he said.
The event brought together religious leaders, parents, persons with disabilities, government officials, teachers, and community representatives. Sawyerr described the student loan scheme, initiated under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, as a transformative step for education in Nigeria.
Addressing concerns about loan repayment, he clarified that in the event of a beneficiary’s death, the debt would not be transferred to their family or anyone else but would instead be written off.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to making tertiary education accessible to all, stating, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced this initiative to ensure that no Nigerian student is deprived of higher education due to financial constraints. To achieve this, he established NELFUND, provided funding, and backed it with political will through an Act of Parliament. Our role is to identify students at risk of dropping out due to financial challenges and offer support.”
Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, praised the Federal Government for implementing the scheme, acknowledging the financial struggles many families face in paying school fees.
“I want to thank President Bola Tinubu for this initiative. Many families have faced difficulties in funding their children’s education. Credit also goes to my former boss, then-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who sponsored this bill in the 9th Assembly. It was later assented to by the President, paving the way for this opportunity,” Idahosa said.
He assured that the Edo State government would collaborate with NELFUND to ensure widespread awareness and participation among students in the state.
Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, added a humorous touch to the discussion, advising parents not to have more children simply because the burden of tertiary education costs would be covered by NELFUND.
“To my men folk, don’t start having more children just because of NELFUND,” he joked, drawing laughter from the audience.
Iyamu further highlighted the scheme’s affordability, noting that it is interest-free, with repayment starting two years after completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Deductions will be set at 10% of the beneficiary’s salary once they secure employment.
