The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) has announced a strategic collaboration with anti-corruption, military, paramilitary, and other key agencies to safeguard the integrity of the Students’ Loan Scheme, ahead of its planned disbursement.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholder workshop on Friday in Abuja, NELFund’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, emphasised the Fund’s commitment to building a transparent, fraud-resistant loan system. The event, which marked the conclusion of a five-day engagement session, brought together heads of anti-graft agencies, security officials, education administrators, vice-chancellors, and student union leaders.
Sawyerr noted that the collaboration would strengthen NELFund’s internal controls and help prevent fraud, manipulation, or misuse within the system. He added that the Fund was already working to integrate real-time data verification tools, whistleblower and early warning systems, joint audits, and risk assessment models, alongside launching citizen awareness campaigns.
“Our objectives are threefold: to fortify the NELFund ecosystem by tapping into the enforcement and compliance expertise of our partners; to strengthen due diligence, identity protection, and fund tracking systems; and to build sustainable inter-agency collaboration for long-term integrity and impact,” Sawyerr stated.
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The NELFund boss described the student loan scheme as a “social contract” aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda—designed to remove poverty as a barrier to education. While access to financing was critical, he warned that access without integrity risked inefficiency and exploitation.
Over the past few months, Sawyerr said, NELFund had achieved notable milestones, including designing a fully automated loan application and management system, engaging over 400 institutions, and preparing for a transparent disbursement phase within stipulated timelines.
“With deliberate planning and deep consultation, we’ve harmonised student data and tested digital workflows across universities and polytechnics,” he said, reaffirming the Fund’s commitment to audit compliance and fraud resistance.
He appealed for continued cooperation from the partner agencies to ensure that no insider threats, technical loopholes, or fraudulent actors compromise the system. “NELFund can become a beacon of trust and a flagship of the Renewed Hope Agenda if this partnership endures,” he concluded.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa—represented by Air Commodore Friday Bassey—urged NELFund to prioritise children of fallen military personnel in the loan scheme. He noted that many of these children face hardship in pursuing education due to the loss of their breadwinners.
“Giving attention to the children of our fallen heroes would not only ease their burdens but also boost the morale of serving officers who give their all in defence of the nation,” he said.
The event reaffirmed NELFund’s effort to uphold transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness in administering the student loan programme, which is set to launch as a key pillar of Nigeria’s education and social development efforts.
