Bukola Afeni
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the opening of its student loan application portal for the 2025/2026 academic session. The application window is scheduled to run from Thursday, October 23, 2025, to Saturday, January 31, 2026.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Strategic Communications at NELFUND, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, the portal will be open to both returning and newly admitted students of accredited tertiary institutions across the country.
Fresh students are eligible to apply using either their Admission Number or JAMB Registration Number in place of a matriculation number.
The agency also urged tertiary institutions to show flexibility and understanding regarding registration and fee payment deadlines for students awaiting loan disbursement.
Additionally, institutions that have not yet commenced their 2025/2026 academic session have been advised to formally notify NELFUND and submit their approved academic calendar to ensure scheduling flexibility.
In the statement, NELFUND expressed appreciation to tertiary institutions nationwide for their continued cooperation and urged them to upload verified records of both returning and newly admitted students on the NELFUND Student Verification Portal. This step, it noted, is essential for students to successfully apply and benefit from the scheme.
The agency further appealed to institutions to adopt temporary registration measures for students whose loan applications are still being processed, emphasizing that no student should lose access to education due to financial constraints.
