Parents may want to have a quick conversation with their children about the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), according to Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele.
Oyedele made the remark after a parent at a media briefing in Abuja said his three children in school had not benefited from NELFUND and that they did not know anyone who had received the funding.
The minister suggested that the students may have applied for the scheme without informing their parents.
“It is possible they’ve collected the money, and they are collecting from you,” Oyedele said.
He advised the parent to ask his children directly whether they had applied and to request evidence of their applications.
Oyedele also encouraged parents to help eligible students apply for the programme, noting that NELFUND provides more than tuition support, including monthly stipends.
He said students could access up to N1.5 million through the scheme and urged those facing difficulties with the application process to seek assistance from the Ministry of Finance.
The minister further disclosed that NELFUND uptake has been higher in northern Nigeria than in the South, attributing part of the difference to varying levels of willingness to use government support programmes.
Source: Taiwo Oyedele / Ministry of Finance.
