NELFUND funding for nursing students jumps 14-fold to N812 million

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has significantly increased its funding for nursing and midwifery education, nearly quadrupling it from N59.4 million in 2023/2024 to N811.9 million in the 2025/2026 academic session. This substantial rise brings the total disbursement for nursing and midwifery education to over N1.08 billion across three academic sessions, benefiting 5,381 students at 21 Federal and State institutions.

The intervention has expanded rapidly, with funding increasing from N205.8 million in 2024/2025 to the current figure. NELFUND's Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, highlighted the importance of reducing financial barriers to professional education. The institutions receiving the funding are located in various states, including Bauchi, Anambra, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory.

This increased financial support is part of NELFUND's broader student loan program, which has seen a significant rise in applications since its portal opened in May 2024. However, the Fund faces operational challenges, such as unpaid upkeep allowances totaling N927.98 million owed to 11,685 students due to transaction issues. NELFUND, established under the revised Student Loan Act in April 2024, continues to work on improving the higher education landscape through initiatives like a homegrown ranking system for universities and tertiary institutions.