- received N941m for 7,000 students
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) said it has disbursed over N941million to about 7,000 students of University of Jos (UNIJOS).
Managing Director of the Fund, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, stated this on Tuesday, in Jos, at a technical session with critical stakeholders in Plateau State regarding the Federal Government’s Students’ Loan scheme.
The event was graced by the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, Members of the State Executive Council, Heads of 13 Federal and State tertiary institutions in the state, student union representatives among others.
Mr. Sawyerr said the development has made the university the third highest institution in the country that has received the facility.
He urged tertiary institutions to promptly update their student information on the NELFund portal.
He further revealed that the agency will soon convene a meeting with the ICT Directors of beneficiary institutions to troubleshoot and resolve technical difficulties related to loan applications, to ensure a smoother process for all applicants.
In his remarks, Governor Mutfwang said President Bola Tinubu’s gesture would not only democratise access to education, but that disbursements would cause tangible improvements in economic activities in institutions of higher learning.
He said: “I have had opportunity to relate with Mr. President, and I see his concern for the underprivileged and this singular act has democratized access to education. And not only has it democratized access to education, it has boosted the economy of any community of students”.
The Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, confirmed that the university has received the student loan funds of N941million.
He encouraged students yet to apply to take advantage of this opportunity and submit their applications, stressing that it is not a scam.
Prof. Ishaya, said that receiving the student loan funds in bulk has greatly facilitated the university’s management and operational processes, enabling the institution to allocate resources more efficiently.