The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and the Data Mining Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate seamless access to education loans for students using biometric-enabled cards.
The agreement was formalized at NELFUND’s headquarters in Abuja, with NIMC Director General Abisoye Coker-Odusote, NELFUND Managing Director and CEO Akintunde Sawyer, and Data Mining Company Managing Director Femi Akande signing the MoU.
Sawyer described the partnership as a significant step towards financial inclusion, transparency, and accountability in deploying the Government-to-People Service Card (G2PS-card). He stated that the MoU would provide Nigerian students with a more efficient way to access loans through multiple wallets supported by the biometric-enabled cards from NIMC.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for initiating socio-economic programs aimed at improving the lives of Nigerian students, emphasizing that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda would have a lasting positive impact.
Coker-Odusote highlighted that the biometric-enabled cards are part of NIMC’s efforts to drive digital and financial inclusion while ensuring that all beneficiaries of government services, including student loans, have verifiable identities.
She explained that the cards feature multiple wallets, allowing students to access funds both online and offline. This system, she said, would streamline loan disbursement, ensure funds are used as intended, and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles.
“The biometric-enabled cards are designed to enhance transparency and accountability while preventing fraud. They provide students with direct access to their allowances, enabling them to make purchases, transfer funds, and buy books without relying on traditional banking processes,” Coker-Odusote stated.
