The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on parents, guardians and workers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to deepen their understanding of the student loan scheme and ensure that eligible Nigerian students fully benefit from the Federal Government’s intervention.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, made the call during a sensitisation roadshow organised by the Fund at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Sawyerr, who stressed the importance of MDAs in promoting public awareness, said government workers were critical stakeholders whose involvement would help bridge information gaps and ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach the intended beneficiaries.

He explained that the sensitisation exercise was designed to deepen understanding of NELFUND’s mandate, operations and application processes, while addressing misconceptions surrounding the student loan initiative.

According to him, ministries and government agencies have important roles to play in national development, particularly in communicating government policies and programmes to citizens.

He appreciated the management and staff of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for providing the platform for engagement, commending their active participation and contributions during the session.

Also speaking, NELFUND’s Director of SERVICOM, Olusola Fowobaje, said the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs was selected for the sensitisation because of its close connection with grassroots communities and its mandate to promote poverty reduction.

He noted that although many government workers might have encountered information about NELFUND through television and social media, such exposure might not have provided them with sufficient knowledge of the scheme.

Fowobaje explained that government employees were also parents and guardians who needed adequate information to guide their children and dependants in accessing the opportunity.

He said, “The fortunate thing about this product is that we are not selling it. We are giving it out in the form of loans to our students and children in federal and state government institutions without interest. That is why the CEO directed that we should take the information to the doorsteps of our people.”

The SERVICOM Director expressed concern that some students were accessing NELFUND loans while their parents, unaware of the arrangement, continued paying their school fees.

He said the situation underscored the need to involve parents and guardians in the awareness campaign to prevent misinformation and ensure proper understanding of the scheme.

Fowobaje described the initiative as an important instrument for breaking the cycle of poverty and expanding access to higher education, irrespective of the financial circumstances of students’ parents.

He said, “The fact that someone is my gateman should not mean that his son or daughter must remain disadvantaged while my children have access to education. The children should not start where their fathers stopped. The Federal Government has made funds available to enable them to go to school.”

He added that NELFUND was committed to making its operations seamless and accessible to eligible students, while promoting transparency and accountability in the administration of the loans.

According to him, the Fund’s mandate includes reducing student dropouts caused by financial difficulties, promoting human capital development, improving national productivity and advancing equitable access to quality education.

Fowobaje disclosed that the sensitisation campaign had earlier been taken to the Ministry of Regional Development, with plans to extend the exercise to other MDAs and security agencies, including military, police and immigration barracks.

Providing an update on the scheme’s performance, NELFUND disclosed that as of the end of October 2026, it had disbursed over ₦375 billion to students across the country.

The amount comprises more than ₦194 billion disbursed for institutional fees and over ₦180 billion provided as students’ upkeep allowances.

During the engagement, participants were also educated on the NELFUND application portal, eligibility requirements and disbursement procedures. Questions bordering on the sustainability of the scheme, the death of a beneficiary and the repayment process after securing employment were also addressed.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Olubumi Olusanya, represented by the Assistant Director, Training and Staff Welfare, Eweje Ololade Modukpe, described the sensitisation as timely and informative.

She said the engagement had provided staff with a better understanding of the scheme, particularly against the backdrop of public doubts and misconceptions about its operations.

“Some people say it is real, while others describe it as political propaganda. But here they are today. That tells us that the Fund exists and the programme is real,” she said.

Modukpe recalled that the ministry initially had reservations about the sensitisation request because its employees were not students.

However, she said the explanation that workers were being engaged as parents, guardians and sponsors of students helped clarify the importance of the exercise.

She noted that many civil servants either had children in tertiary institutions or were supporting other dependants through education, making it necessary for them to understand how to access and benefit from the scheme.

She urged the ministry’s staff to take ownership of the information received and become ambassadors of NELFUND by educating their families, colleagues and communities about the opportunities available under the programme.