The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has extended the deadline for students applying for the 2025/2026 academic session to February 27, 2026.
The original deadline of January 31, 2026, was moved to allow prospective applicants more time to complete their submissions.
In a statement released on Thursday in Abuja, NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the decision was taken to ensure that no eligible student misses out due to time constraint.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has extended the application deadline for the 2025/2026 academic session from January 31 to February 27, 2026,” Oluwatuyi said.
NELFUND’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, emphasized that the extension is part of the Fund’s commitment to inclusivity.
“We understand that some students may need extra time to finalize their applications,” he said.
“This extension ensures that every eligible Nigerian student has a fair chance to benefit from the Fund.”
The Fund urged students who have not yet applied or completed their applications to take advantage of the additional time and submit all required documents before the new deadline.
Established to administer the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, NELFUND was enacted into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in April 2024.
The initiative provides interest-free loans to students enrolled in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition fees and living expenses. Loan beneficiaries are required to repay the funds after graduation and once they are employed.
As of January 29, 2026, the total amount disbursed under the scheme stood at ₦174,561,719,810.
