By Abubakar Yunusa
The Student Wing of the Northern Youth Frontiers has passed a vote of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the management of Nigerian Education Loan Fund over the implementation of the student loan scheme.
The group described the initiative as transparent, impactful and life-changing for indigent students across Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country.
The endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued after an emergency joint congress held in Abuja to review national issues affecting northern students, the implementation of the education loan scheme and insecurity around tertiary institutions.
The communiqué was jointly signed by the National Coordinator of the Student Wing of the Northern Youth Frontiers, Comrade Ibrahim Bello, and the Secretary-General, Comrade Hauwa Abdulaziz.
According to the group, the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act introduced under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda had removed financial barriers preventing many students from accessing higher education.
The congress said the loan scheme had restored hope to thousands of less privileged students who would otherwise have dropped out of school because of financial difficulties.
It added that over 1.3 million Nigerian students had successfully registered and applied through the NELFUND portal, describing it as evidence of growing confidence in the scheme.
The students also commended the disbursement of over N161.97bn in 2026, including payments made directly to public tertiary institutions for institutional charges and monthly upkeep stipends to beneficiaries.
They noted that the intervention had eased the burden of accommodation, feeding and purchase of books for struggling students.
The congress further praised the digital nature of the scheme, saying it gave equal opportunities to students across tribes, religions and regions without political influence or personal connections.
While commending the Federal Government’s intervention in education, the students expressed concern over insecurity affecting campuses across Northern Nigeria.
They appealed to Tinubu to strengthen security around tertiary institutions vulnerable to attacks by bandits and kidnappers.
The group specifically called for increased funding for the Safe Schools Initiative and deployment of military and police patrols around campuses, student residential areas and major transit routes.
The congress reaffirmed its support for the Tinubu administration’s education reforms and urged students to remain law-abiding while taking advantage of the NELFUND scheme.
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