The Federal Government has committed more than ₦90 billion to the education and welfare of more than 400, 000 students across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
Idris disclosed during a courtesy visit from a platform of State Commissioners of Information led by the Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, that the President’s initiative through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has supported the students to continue their education without financial difficulties.
The Fund was introduced by President Bola Tinubu as part of efforts to expand access to higher education and reduce the burden of tuition and living expenses on students and their families.
Since its rollout, the scheme has attracted attention as one of the administration’s flagship interventions in education. It provides direct financial assistance to students to prevent disruptions in their studies due to economic hardship.
The Minister explained that the support covers more than tuition fees, as students also benefit from upkeep allowances, stressing that the President’s vision is to ensure that all Nigerians benefit from government policies regardless of political affiliation or religion.
“The Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu has committed N90 billion to NELFUND. Tinubu’s vision is that, on no account, should a Nigerian child of school age be denied going to a tertiary institution,” Idris said
“Therefore, this amount is not for school fees alone but also for upkeep of over 400,000 students across different tertiary institutions in the country,” he noted
“Nigeria under Tinubu is on the path to prosperity. This is my message to you. We are in government to serve the interests of all, irrespective of political parties.”
According to the daily status report generated on September 3, a total of 780,089 students have registered on the platform, while 788,842 applications have been received. Out of these, 449,039 students have so far benefited from the scheme.
Idris also urged Nigerians to look beyond political affiliations when assessing government initiatives, saying,
“If you will not listen to me because I was appointed by President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, don’t forget that your children need the NELFUND to stay in school. And also your people who have cancer need treatment and would have to access the Cancer Screening and treatment Centre/Oncology that Tinubu provided,” Idris said.
He reiterated that Tinubu’s leadership is for the collective good of Nigerians, irrespective of religion or political party.
As of August 6, 2025, disbursements had reached ₦86.3 billion, with ₦47.6 billion allocated to cover institutional fees across 218 beneficiary institutions, while ₦38.7 billion was paid directly to students as upkeep allowances.
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