NELFUND Denies Bias in Student Loan Scheme

The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Akintunde Sawyerr, has dismissed claims that the student loan scheme is biased in favour of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

Sawyerr described the allegation as “completely ridiculous,” stressing that the electronic loan application system was not designed to identify applicants based on political affiliation.

 

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the NELFUND boss said applicants are required to provide basic information, including their names and matriculation numbers, and must be students of public tertiary institutions.

 

“I have not heard this allegation, but I can tell you that it’s a completely ridiculous idea that the administration of Bola Tinubu is focused on trying to fund people who support the party,” he said.

 

Sawyerr said the system was designed to serve eligible Nigerian students without discrimination based on political, religious, ethnic or gender considerations.

 

“We have a system that is focused on people who are Nigerians and meet the standard. The system doesn’t recognise your gender. There is no bias in the system at the front end or the back end,” he said.

 

He added that the loan application process was entirely electronic, making it impractical to determine or screen applicants based on their political affiliations.

 

Sawyerr also disclosed that demand for the loans had been overwhelming, noting that applications were assessed based on established eligibility requirements.

 

Meanwhile, NELFUND on Sunday dismissed as fake news a circulating image claiming that President Bola Tinubu had approved life imprisonment for students who fail to repay their education loans after graduation.

 

The agency administers interest-free loans to eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions to cover institutional fees and provide monthly upkeep allowances.