….Gov Aiyedatiwa Commends Tinubu, Assures Full State Collaboration
…..Says No Student Should Miss Tertiary Education
By Precious Oluwole
Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has expressed strong support for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) initiative, pledging that his administration would mobilise students across the state to take full advantage of the interest-free loan scheme.
The governor gave the assurance on Thursday in Akure while receiving the management of NELFUND on a courtesy visit, as the agency commenced its first South-West visit of the year in Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa described the visit as timely and symbolic, thanking the NELFUND team for choosing Ondo State as the first port of call in the South-West, a decision he said reflected confidence in the state.
Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating the scheme, the governor described the education loan as a historic intervention and the first of its kind in Nigeria. He said the initiative complemented existing bursaries and scholarships by providing an additional platform for students to finance their education.
According to him, while bursaries and scholarships were free grants that required no repayment, the loan scheme addressed extra fees and financial gaps, ensuring that no Nigerian youth was denied access to university education due to poverty or lack of support.
“You can no longer say your parents are poor or that nobody is helping you. The government has created a platform for everyone to have access to a university degree,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa stressed that the scheme was open to all eligible students and did not require connections or godfathers, noting that access was based strictly on application and eligibility.
He congratulated the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, on his appointment, describing it as historic, and commended the management team for its commitment to driving the initiative. The governor expressed confidence that many youths would benefit from the scheme if awareness was adequately expanded.
He identified awareness as a major challenge, assuring that the state government would intensify sensitisation efforts, particularly among students in public tertiary institutions. He noted that the Commissioner for Education, a former vice-chancellor, possessed the requisite experience to effectively disseminate information across universities and other public institutions.
Aiyedatiwa said the loan scheme was primarily designed for students in public institutions, adding that those in private universities were less likely to require such support.
He urged NELFUND to adopt a data-driven approach by comparing enrolment figures with the number of students accessing the loan, saying this would help assess performance, identify gaps and guide further sensitisation efforts.
The governor also recommended campus-based engagements to address misconceptions, repayment concerns and limited understanding of the scheme among students at different levels of study.
Reiterating that the loans were interest-free and repayable two years after completion of the National Youth Service Corps programme, Aiyedatiwa said repayment should be tied to employment, stressing that beneficiaries must be gainfully employed before repayment could be realistic.
He added that the scheme would not only ease the financial burden on parents but also instil responsibility and financial discipline in students, as beneficiaries would be conscious of their future repayment obligations.
Describing the education loan as a laudable initiative, the governor urged students in the state to take full advantage of the scheme for their own benefit and that of their families.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, said the visit was anchored on the vision of President Tinubu, who signed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund into law on April 4, 2025.
He explained that the scheme was designed to provide interest-free loans to young Nigerians in response to the country’s large youth population and low access to tertiary education.
Sawyerr said applications were made online without the need for personal connections, adding that institutional fees were paid directly to schools, while beneficiaries also received stipends.
He noted that repayment would begin two years after the completion of NYSC through income-based deductions, stressing that the scheme was non-punitive.
The NELFUND chief said the agency was seeking the support of the Ondo State Government to boost confidence and participation, adding that a progress report had been presented to the governor for appraisal and feedback.
Those present at the meeting included the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; the Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; the Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo; the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical and Vocational Education, Mr Tayo Oluyi; the Director of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency, Engr. Femi Akarakiri; and Prince Boye Oyewumi.