Borno, Kano, Plateau top, as NELFUND disburses N12.28bn to 19 northern states

Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disclosed that the sum of N12.28 billion has been disbursed to 19 northern states and FCT to cover fees for 133,328 students of public tertiary institutions as at February 28th, 2025. A data chart released by the Fund showed that out of the 19 northern states, Borno, Kano and […]

Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disclosed that the sum of N12.28 billion has been disbursed to 19 northern states and FCT to cover fees for 133,328 students of public tertiary institutions as at February 28th, 2025.

A data chart released by the Fund showed that out of the 19 northern states, Borno, Kano and Plateau states are the top of the disbursement of the student loan scheme.

The list showed that Borno State topped the list of disbursement in the North with N1,465,751,550, while  Kano and Plateau followed with N1,345, 709, 178 and N1,105, 996,200.

Also, Katsina followed with N1,054,906, 500 while Kebbi and Kaduna followed with N889,151,700 and N848,169, 471.

Other states have the following disbursement as of 28th February, Jigawa N775,569,007, Bauchi, N645, 756, 100, Nasarawa, N632, 362, 971, Gombe N610, 669, 300, Adamawa, N594, 433, 350, Sokoto, N578, 881, 600, Taraba, N444, 903, 100 and Zamfara has N355, 704, 000.

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While Kwara has N297, 668,223, Niger, N191, 827, 350, Yobe N181,222, 087,Benue, N169, 237, 494, Kogi, N88, 804, 750, and the Federal Capital Territory has the least amount of disbursement with N13, 002, 200

However, the Fund has continued to disburse money to applicants across the state’s tertiary institutions for the second phase signalling a possible change in the amount disbursed to present.

Recently, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, stated that it has disbursed over N941 million to about 7,000 students of University of Jos (UNIJOS), making the university the third highest institution in the country that has received its disbursement.

“I’m delighted to tell you that the University of Jos is the third highest benefiting institution from NELFUND in this country. We have disbursed N941 Million to UNIJOS on behalf of over 6,990 students. So it’s not a scam. Seeing is believing,” he said.

Sawyerr urged tertiary institutions to promptly update their student information on the NELFUND portal.

While expressing the commitment of the Fund to always ensure transparency in all its dealings, Sawyerr said NELFUND will be fully ready to disburse N135 billion if all the applications received so far are fully processed.

“We have received about 520,000 registrations and about 419,000 applications. We have processed and paid 261,000 students for both upkeep and institutional fees.  Our total exposure today, if we were to pay everybody that has applied, is somewhere in the region of N135 billion. But we have not processed all those people. We have got the money and we are ready in case all of them get processed. We can disburse N135 billion,” he said.

NELFUND has emphasised that these disbursements will significantly ease the financial burdens on students and their families, enabling them to focus on their studies and future careers.

We’re fully ready, determined to secure ECOWAS region – CDS

 

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has reassured of the readiness and determination of the military to ensure that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region is fully secured.

Musa, who is the Chairman, Committee of Chiefs of Defence of ECOWAS, gave the assurance at the closing of the 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the committee, on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the three-day meeting had been geared towards promoting regional security cooperation within the ECOWAS region and forging common fronts in addressing their security challenges.

According to him, deliberations have been sincere and forthright with our collective security being accorded the desired priority.

“In the course of our deliberations, we identified critical vulnerabilities to regional security and demonstrated our firm resolve towards addressing these threats.

“As expected, there were areas of concern between members but more importantly there was firm resolve on the need for collective action.

“This is the spirit of this gathering which is firmly rooted in a resolute commitment to meeting our primary obligation as members of the armed and defence forces of our respective countries which is to defend and protect our peoples from harm and insecurities,” he said.

Musa said the committee deliberated over critical security concerns in the West African Sub Region.

Some of these areas, according to him, include the review of pledges for ECOWAS Standby Force, consideration of pledges for ECOWAS Counter-terrorist Brigade and the rotation of Staff Officers of Peace Support Operation Divisions and ECOWAS Standby Force.

Others, he added were the presentation on the outcome of the Governmental Experts Meeting on the ECOWAS Logistics Concept and Standing Operating Procedures for ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone.

Musa said the meeting also provided an opportunity to review the report of the last ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Naval Staff Meeting.

According to him, a presentation was made on Standardization of the Table of Equipment for ECOWAS Standby Force.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by the Chiefs of Defence Staff from Benin Republic, Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo. (NAN).