NELFUND shifts student loan deadline, gives applicants extra time

The Nigerian government has extended the deadline for students to apply for the federal student loan scheme for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The loan programme is managed by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The new deadline for submitting applications has been moved from 31 January 2026 to 27 February 2026.

This development was announced in a statement released on Thursday by NELFUND’s spokesperson, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, quoting the Managing Director of the agency, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr.

According to Sawyerr, the decision to extend the deadline was taken to give students more time to properly complete their applications.

He explained that some students faced challenges meeting the initial deadline and needed additional time to gather the required information and documents.

He said the extension is part of the government’s efforts to ensure fairness, inclusion, and equal access to education.

“We understand that some applicants may need extra time to complete their submissions, and this extension will ensure that no eligible Nigerian student is left out,” he said.

NELFUND encouraged all students who are interested in the loan scheme but have not yet applied, as well as those who started the process but did not finish, to take advantage of the new deadline.

The agency advised applicants to ensure that all required details and documents are correctly submitted on or before 27 February 2026 to avoid disqualification.

The federal student loan scheme is aimed at helping Nigerian students cover the cost of tuition and other academic expenses, especially those from low-income backgrounds, to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent them from continuing their education.