GRATITUDE: South-East Students Hail Tinubu, Celebrate NELFUND as Lifeline for Academic Dreams

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There were emotional testimonies and expressions of gratitude at the Renewed Hope Students’ Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme for the South-East Zone in Enugu, as beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) took turns to narrate how the Federal Government’s student loan scheme had helped them remain in school and pursue their academic ambitions.

The testimonies formed one of the most memorable moments of the engagement, with students stepping forward to the podium to share their personal experiences and express appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for introducing and expanding the education financing initiative.

For many of the beneficiaries, the NELFUND intervention was described not simply as a government policy but as a major relief that had provided them with an opportunity to continue their education at a time when financial difficulties could have disrupted their academic journeys.

The students spoke openly about the challenges faced by families in meeting the increasing costs associated with tertiary education, noting that access to NELFUND support had reduced the burden on their parents and given them greater confidence to concentrate on their studies.

Particular excitement greeted the students’ comments on the newly introduced monthly stipends, which several beneficiaries described as a “life-saving initiative.”

According to the students, the regular financial support has provided much-needed assistance for their day-to-day needs and helped them navigate some of the financial pressures that come with university life.

The beneficiaries said the intervention had also given them a sense of inclusion, as they could see the impact of a Federal Government policy directly in their personal academic journeys.

Their testimonies came shortly after the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed that more than 1.7 million students had applied for the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, with about 1.5 million applications processed.

Sawyerr revealed that NELFUND had so far disbursed more than N282 billion to students across 288 tertiary institutions nationwide.

He explained that over N183 billion had been paid directly to tertiary institutions as tuition fees, while nearly N98 billion had been released to students as upkeep allowances.

The NELFUND boss specifically encouraged more students from the South-East to take advantage of the scheme, noting that the loans are interest-free and repayment does not commence until beneficiaries secure employment.

He also explained that beneficiaries would not be prevented from travelling abroad for further studies or employment because of the loan, stressing that the initiative was designed to support the development and upskilling of Nigerian youths.

The students’ testimonies provided a powerful human dimension to the figures presented by NELFUND, transforming statistics about applications and disbursements into real-life stories of young Nigerians who said they had been given a better chance to remain in school.

The engagement was championed by Hon. Comr. Sunday Asefon, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students’ Engagement, who had earlier urged students to take advantage of the numerous opportunities created by the Tinubu administration.

Asefon highlighted the administration’s interventions in the education sector and commended the Enugu State Government, South-East NANS stakeholders and student leaders for their participation and support for the engagement.

The gathering therefore became not only a government-student interaction but also a platform for beneficiaries to publicly acknowledge programmes they said were making a difference in their educational journeys.

With the students’ testimonies, cheers and expressions of appreciation, the Enugu engagement offered a vivid demonstration of how education financing policies can translate into tangible opportunities for young Nigerians—particularly those whose academic ambitions are constrained by financial challenges.