The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced an extension of the application deadline for the 2025/2026 academic session to February 27, 2026, giving prospective applicants additional time to complete their submissions.
The Fund disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, explaining that the previous deadline of January 31, 2026, was shifted to ensure that no eligible student is left out due to time constraints.
According to the Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, the decision reflects NELFUND’s commitment to fair access and inclusivity for all Nigerian students.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has announced an extension of the application deadline for the 2025/2026 academic session from January 31, 2026, to February 27, 2026,” the statement read.
Commenting on the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the extension was aimed at giving every student a fair opportunity to benefit from the initiative.
“This extension reflects our commitment to inclusivity and access. We understand that some applicants may require more time to complete their submissions, and we want to ensure that every eligible Nigerian student has that chance,” he stated.
NELFUND urged students who have not applied or completed their applications to take advantage of the extended deadline and submit all required information on or before February 27, 2026. The Fund added that additional updates and guidance would be shared through its official communication channels.
Established to manage the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024, NELFUND provides interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition fees and living expenses.
Applications for the programme opened in May 2024 as part of efforts to reduce financial barriers to higher education, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds.
As of January 29, 2026, NELFUND reported a total disbursement of ₦174.56 billion under the student loan scheme.
