By JOHN ONAH, Abuja
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced that its application portal for the 2024/2025 academic session will close on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
The closure marks the end of the second full cycle of the government-backed, interest-free loan scheme designed to provide financial support to Nigerian students in tertiary institutions.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, NELFUND said no further student applications will be accepted after the deadline.
The loan portal will reopen in the second week of October 2025 for the 2025/2026 academic session, with applications remaining open until January 2026.
The agency explained that the transition period will allow it to process outstanding applications and complete upkeep disbursements under the current cycle.
“Institutions are hereby informed to update their students’ records on the Student Verification System (SVS) to enable students to apply for the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read.
“Any institution that has not commenced a new academic session within the stated window should notify NELFUND for additional concessions to accommodate its students.”
NELFUND warned that all unverified applications for the 2024/2025 academic session will be automatically cancelled after October 8, 2025. Students in this category are urged to prompt their institutions to complete the verification process before the deadline.
It further clarified that pending applications remain unapproved or unpaid because of delays by some institutions in completing the mandatory verification of student lists.
NELFUND said it is engaging with these institutions but will publish the names of non-compliant schools after the deadline for transparency.
The Fund added that upkeep disbursements for the 2024/2025 session will continue until November 2025, but students must reapply for the 2025/2026 academic session to continue receiving payments.
NELFUND’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the transition is necessary to maintain a smooth operational cycle.
“Announcing the closure of the current application portal is a necessary step to prepare for the next cycle,” he said. “NELFUND remains committed to removing financial barriers for students and working with institutions to ensure that no eligible student is left behind.”
He urged institutions to promptly update student records on the SVS and encouraged students to complete their applications on time to avoid missing out on the scheme’s benefits.
