Aiyedatiwa Lauds Tinubu’s NELFUND, Pledges Ondo Student Mobilisation

• Students don’t need godfathers to access loans; repayment begins two years after NYSC, says MD

Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has expressed strong support for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) initiative, pledging that his administration would mobilise students across the state to take full advantage of the interest-free loan scheme.

The Governor gave the assurance on Thursday in Akure while receiving the management of NELFUND on a courtesy visit to his office, as the agency commenced its first South-West visit of the year in Ondo State.

Governor Aiyedatiwa described the visit as timely and symbolic, thanking the NELFUND team for choosing Ondo State as the first port of call in the South-West, a decision he said reflected confidence in the state.

Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating the scheme, the Governor described the education loan as a historic intervention and the first of its kind in Nigeria. He said the initiative complemented existing bursaries and scholarships by providing an additional platform for students to finance their education.

According to him, while bursaries and scholarships were free grants that required no repayment, the loan scheme addressed extra fees and financial gaps, ensuring that no Nigerian youth is denied access to university education due to poverty or lack of support.

“You can no longer say your parents are poor or that nobody is helping you. The government has created a platform for everyone to have access to a university degree,” he said.

The Governor congratulated the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, on his appointment and commended the management team for its commitment to driving the initiative.

Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed confidence that many youths would benefit from the scheme if awareness is adequately expanded, assuring that the state government would intensify sensitisation efforts, particularly among students in public tertiary institutions.

He noted that the Commissioner for Education in Ondo State, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, a former vice-chancellor, possesses the requisite experience to effectively disseminate information across universities and other public institutions.

He urged NELFUND to adopt a data-driven approach by comparing enrolment figures with the number of students accessing the loan, saying this would help assess performance, identify gaps and guide further sensitisation efforts.

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The Governor also recommended campus-based engagements to address misconceptions, repayment concerns and limited understanding of the scheme among students at different levels of study.

He added that the scheme would not only ease the financial burden on parents but also instil responsibility and financial discipline in students, as beneficiaries would be conscious of their future repayment obligations.

Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, said the visit was anchored on the vision of President Tinubu, who signed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund into law on April 4, 2025.

He explained that the scheme was designed to provide interest-free loans to young Nigerians in response to the country’s large youth population and low access to tertiary education.

Sawyerr said applications are made online without the need for personal connections, adding that institutional fees are paid directly to schools, while beneficiaries also receive stipends.

He noted that repayment would begin two years after the completion of NYSC through income-based deductions, stressing that the scheme is non-punitive.

The NELFUND chief said the agency was seeking the support of the Ondo State Government to boost confidence and participation, adding that a progress report had been presented to the governor for appraisal and feedback.