By Musa Baba Adamu
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), declared in Abuja yesterday that as at 1st January, 2025, it has disbursed N116. 184billion for upkeep of students across 176, 252 beneficiary institutions in the country .
The Education Loan Fund was however given a paltry N58.4billion budget envelope for 2025 fiscal year.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyer who stated this in his presentation before the National Assembly joint Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND during budget defence session , however clarified that out of the N116.184billion , N37.7billion was expended on institution loan .
According to him, a total number of 352, 796 students applied for the loan , while 108,484 , were given .
On the 2025 budgetary proposal, the NELFUND boss informed the Senator Muntari Dandutse and Hon Gboyega Isiaka led joint committee that a of N58.4billion budget envelope was given the agency .
“ Out of the N58.4billon budgetary proposal for 2025, N12.2billion is earmarked for personnel cost , N24.7billion for overhead cost and N21.4billion for capital expenditure “, he explained .
After consideration of budgetary proposals of the agency the joint committee accordingly approved it through voice vote put to members.
Earlier before approval of the agency’s 2025 budgetary proposals , the Chairman of the joint Committee, Senator Dandutse Muntari harped on transparency on spending of appropriations made for the agency in 2025.
“We will examine NELFUND’s financial plan for the upcoming fiscal year to evaluate its alignment with national educational goals and its capacity to meet the growing demands for student loans because the agency plays an indispensable role in bridging financial gaps for students across our tertiary institutions “, he said
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