NELFUND Has Provided Crucial Financial Relief To Less Privileged, Says Shettima

NELFUND Has Provided Crucial Financial Relief to Less Privileged, Says Shettima Vice President Kashim Shettima has described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund NELFUND as a landmark initiative that has provided crucial financial relief to children from less-privileged backgrounds and removed barriers to higher education. Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja when he received the management team of the University of Abuja, led by its Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi. The Vice President said NELFUND, established under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, has become an important social equaliser and a mechanism for poverty alleviation and educational advancement. According to him, the scheme covers tuition fees and provides monthly upkeep allowances to eligible students, particularly those from less-privileged families who might otherwise struggle to remain in tertiary education. Shettima said the intervention had helped ensure that poverty was no longer an excuse for young Nigerians to be denied access to higher education. Recalling his own experience as a student at the University of Maiduguri, the Vice President described NELFUND as an initiative designed to give “respite” and “breathing space” to children from poor families. Shettima also said Nigeria had “crossed the rubicon” and was firmly on the path of sustainable economic development under the Tinubu administration. He attributed what he described as recent improvements in Nigeria’s economic outlook to stronger foreign exchange reserves, increased oil production, higher federal allocations following the removal of the oil subsidy and ongoing macroeconomic reforms. The Vice President also cited recent upgrades to Nigeria’s sovereign credit ratings and outlooks by international rating agencies as evidence of improving investor confidence. Shettima commended the management of the University of Abuja under Professor Fawehinmi, saying the Vice-Chancellor had provided leadership that helped overcome challenges previously facing the institution. He said the university was now standing on a stronger foundation, with stability returning to the institution. The Vice President also pledged that the Federal Government would continue to provide the university with the necessary support within available resources. Fawehinmi, in his remarks, also credited NELFUND with helping to bring relative stability to Nigeria’s tertiary education system. He said the scheme had enabled students to remain in school by helping them meet their financial obligations. The University of Abuja management and Governing Council subsequently expressed appreciation to Shettima for his support for the institution and the wider education sector. The Federal Government continues to position NELFUND as a key component of its education and social intervention policies, with the broader objective of expanding access to tertiary education for Nigerians from disadvantaged backgrounds.