The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, has announced the opening of its online application portal for students seeking financial assistance for the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to a statement issued by the Fund, the application window will run from Thursday, October 23, 2025, to Saturday, January 31, 2026.
NELFUND stressed that all accredited tertiary institutions have been directed to upload verified data of both newly admitted and returning students on the Student Verification Portal. Only verified students will be eligible to access the loan, the management said
NELFUND added that for first-year students who do not yet have matriculation numbers, JAMB registration numbers or admission numbers can be used for verification purposes.
The agency further appealed to universities and other tertiary institutions to exercise flexibility with registration and payment deadlines, to ensure that students awaiting disbursement of approved loans are not unduly penalized. It also urged institutions that have not commenced the new session to share their academic calendars with the Fund to enable effective scheduling of disbursement timelines.
NELFUND described the loan scheme as a major step towards equitable access to higher education and a tool for reducing financial barriers faced by students. The loan application process, according to the Fund, is fully digital, free of charge, and can be completed within 15 to 30 minutes through the official portal — portal.nelf.gov.ng.
The management also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in loan processing, stressing that collaboration with institutions remains key to achieving seamless verification and disbursement.
The Fund, established under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, provides interest-free loans to eligible Nigerian students to ensure that no citizen is denied access to tertiary education due to financial challenges.
it supports students from federal and state-owned tertiary institutions across the country in the payment of tuition and also provide eligible students monthly feeding stipends.
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