The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has raised concerns about the low number of female students applying for its interest-free education loan program.
According to the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, only 20% of the total applications are from female students, which he described as “not encouraging.”
Speaking during the NELFUND Women Forum Programme held in Abuja as part of the 2025 International Women’s Day celebrations, Sawyerr’s remarks were delivered by Oluwatosin Sanusi, NELFUND’s Head of Investments and Funds Management.
He stated, “The skills acquisition programme places students on a monthly stipend, which is laudable; however, we have fewer women who are taking advantage of this initiative.
“Currently, we have a ratio of 4 to 1, which means for every four male applicants, we have just one female, which isn’t impressive.”
The NELFUND initiative is designed to provide financial assistance to students in tertiary institutions, covering tuition fees and welfare needs.
It also plans to introduce a skills acquisition program aimed at financing educational expenses and purchasing equipment for entrepreneurship training. Despite these opportunities, the participation of female students remains notably low.
To tackle this issue, NELFUND is partnering with women’s organizations to spread awareness about the loan scheme and encourage more female students to apply.
“The NELFUND initiative is all about providing loans for students in tertiary institutions to pay for their fees and to take care of their welfare. There is also another part of the initiative which is the skill acquisition.”
“It is underway, and it would also cover educational fees and fund purchases of equipment for entrepreneurship training.”
Sawyerr emphasized the importance of repayment after graduation and employment to maintain the program’s sustainability, explaining that prompt repayment would allow for broader access to the initiative across government-owned institutions.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmed, represented by her Special Assistant on Education and Quality Assurance, Mufida Hussain, praised the federal government’s commitment to promoting gender equity.
She urged female students to take advantage of the loan program to prevent financial setbacks from disrupting their studies, emphasizing the need for girls to seize every available opportunity.
Choice Enebeli, National President of Female Students of Nigeria, acknowledged NELFUND’s efforts to enhance female participation and pledged her organization’s commitment to raising awareness about the loan scheme nationwide.
Additionally, Chioma Nweze, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, encouraged female students to actively seek opportunities instead of waiting for them. She stressed the importance of women taking initiative and expanding opportunities for others.
