BY IFEANYI UWAGWU
AT least 2,771 students from Delta State have applied for the newly introduced student loan scheme, according to data from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The figures place Delta State among the lower ranks of applicants nationwide, with several states recording significantly higher numbers.
Data released by NELFUND on its official X handle, @nelfnigeria, reveals that students from Kano, Borno, and Benue states are leading the charge in seeking financial aid for higher education.
Kano State tops the list with 17,122 applicants, followed by Borno with 13,798, and Benue with 11,754.
Beyond the top three states, other regions have also shown significant interest in the loan scheme. Kaduna State had 10,380 applicants, while Katsina registered 10,952.
Other states and the number of applicants are as follows; Oyo, 8,990; Osun, 8,093; Kogi, 8,400; Plateau, 9,328; Adamawa, 8,977; Kwara, 7,645; Taraba, 8,668; Yobe, 8,966; Ogun, 5,943; Akwa-Ibom, 6,525; Bauchi, 6,517; Kebbi, 6,333; Gombe, 6,121; Niger, 5,804; Jigawa, 5,535; Ondo, 3,854; Nasarawa, 4,789; Ekiti, 3,497; Imo, 2,802; Ebonyi, 2,981; Cross-River, 2,476; Enugu, 2,247.
Others are Abia, 2,170; Lagos, 2,347; Anambra, 1,840; Zamfara, 2,986; Edo, 2,149; Rivers, 2,162; Sokoto, 2,055; Bayelsa, 1,267.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), however, recorded the lowest number of applicants, with just 676 students seeking loans.
The student loan scheme is an initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at easing the financial burden on indigent or low-income students across Nigeria.
Shortly after his inauguration, President Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act, which established the legal framework for granting these loans. The Act also led to the creation of NELFUND, which is responsible for processing loan requests, disbursing funds, and ensuring repayment.
The fund is designed to be sustained through multiple funding streams and will engage in various productive activities to support its operations.
