By Adesina Wahab

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has commended the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, for saying students in private institutions could in the nearest future be beneficiaries of the loan scheme.

The student body has therefore given kudos to the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr.

In a statement by Comrade Emmanuel Segun Amos, NANS National Director of Private Institutions Students, NANS called for a speedy implementation of the policy.

“The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Office of the National Director of Private Institutions Affairs’ attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, where he hinted that the students loan scheme might be extended to private institutions.

“We applaud this motive and regard it as a positive way of ensuring equal access to education for all Nigerian students, regardless of their institution types. Furthermore, we strongly believe this initiative will alleviate the financial burdens on students and promote academic excellence across Nigeria.

“Prior to my emergence in this office, I have worked closely with directors of NELFUND and I have been able to see firsthand the credibility of the board as well as the impact it plays in our educational system. It is no longer news that most students that attend private institutions are not there because of their financial abundance, but their cravings for a system that works and a feasible academic calendar devoid of strikes and shutdown of academic activities.

“Thankfully, the administration of our working and pro-students President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been able to demonstrate to us through actions that even public institutions can function properly and no academic or non-academic staff would have any reason to be aggrieved in a way that would disrupt the academic calendar of Nigerian students.

We therefore call on NELFUND to expedite the implementation process, ensuring that private institutions students can benefit from the loan scheme without undue delay. We call for a swift rollout of the programme, providing clear guidelines and requirements for eligibility.

“Conclusively, we recommend that the NELFUND Board engages with private institutions stakeholders to ensure a smooth implementation process and address any concerns or challenges that may arise. NANS remains committed to working with NELFUND and other stakeholders to promote the welfare and interests of Nigerian students. We look forward to seeing the successful implementation of this initiative and its positive impact on private institutions students.”