NELFUND Loan Has Saved Many Students From Dropping Out – NANS President

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Akinteye Babatunde, has defended the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying the initiative has provided critical financial relief for thousands of students struggling to remain in school.

Babatunde, in a statement shared via his official X handle on Monday, dismissed criticism from those opposing the scheme because it is structured as a loan, insisting that many critics fail to understand the realities confronting indigent students and their families.

According to the NANS president, the interest-free loan has become a lifeline for students who would otherwise have been forced to abandon their education due to financial constraints.

Responding to critics, he likened the education loan to an emergency medical intervention, arguing that the value of the support lies in the opportunity it provides rather than the fact that it must eventually be repaid.

“Some people are angry that students are celebrating NELFUND because it is a loan,” he said.

“Let me ask you a simple question. If you were seriously sick and needed an operation, but you couldn’t afford the medical bills, and someone offered you an interest-free loan to save your life, with the understanding that you would only repay it after you recovered and started earning again… Would you celebrate that opportunity, or would you reject it simply because it is a loan?”

Babatunde maintained that the same principle applies to the student loan scheme, stressing that it has eased the financial burden on many households across the country.

“That is the reality many Nigerian students are facing,” he said.

“Many of you do not understand the enormous financial burden that the NELFUND loan is taking off the shoulders of students and their families. For countless students, it has made the difference between staying in school and dropping out.”

While acknowledging that the scheme could still be improved, the NANS president urged Nigerians to offer constructive criticism rather than dismissing its impact.

“No policy is beyond improvement, and constructive criticism is always welcome. But let’s not dismiss the genuine relief this initiative has brought to thousands of students across the country,” he added.