Victoria Mgbanwa
In a bid to ensure equitable access to its student loan scheme, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced plans to introduce specialized software tailored for students with disabilities.
This initiative aims to remove barriers that may hinder visually impaired and other disabled students from applying for financial assistance in higher institutions.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, made this known during a stakeholders’ engagement on student loans in Benin City, Edo State.
He emphasized that the software would facilitate seamless access to the loan application process, reaffirming the government’s commitment to inclusivity.
“We want to see how we can make it easier for those visually impaired so that they can apply for the loan. We are looking at a specific software we are going to use,” Sawyer said.
He added that NELFUND will collaborate with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to implement the initiative effectively.
The stakeholders’ meeting, which brought together religious leaders, parents, persons with disabilities, government officials, teachers, and community representatives, served as a platform to address key concerns surrounding the loan scheme.
One of the major points clarified was the issue of loan repayment in the event of a beneficiary’s death.
Sawyerr assured that such debts would not be transferred to family members.
“The law says that, if the very person dies, that loan is not transferred to the family or anyone else. The loan is wiped out,” he explained.
Edo State Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa commended the Federal Government for making the loan initiative a reality, noting that it has eased the financial burden on many families struggling to fund tertiary education.
“Let me also use this opportunity to thank the President of our dear country, President Bola Tinubu, for this initiative. Because before now, many families go through a lot of challenges to be able to pay school fees for students across the country,” he said.
Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, humorously warned parents not to increase the number of children they have simply because NELFUND would cover tertiary education costs.
“To my men folk, don’t begin to fire on because of NELFUND,” he quipped, eliciting laughter from the audience.
Iyamu also explained that the scheme, which is structured as an interest-free loan, requires repayment only after beneficiaries have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and secured employment, with deductions set at 10% of their salary.
With the Federal Government’s backing and collaborations with state governments, NELFUND is working to ensure that no Nigerian student is deprived of tertiary education due to financial constraints.
