Nigeria's Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said that under President Tinubu's administration, poverty is no longer an excuse for children not to attend school. According to Tribune Online, Shettima credited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) with providing financial relief to children from poor families and removing financial barriers to higher education. The remarks highlight the government's education financing initiative as a key policy achievement.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as providing crucial financial relief to indigent students across the country. According to the report by ThisDay Live, Shettima also stated that Nigeria is firmly on the path of sustainable economic development under President Bola Tinubu. The remarks were delivered in Abuja, highlighting the administration's efforts to support access to education through the student loan scheme.

Despite rising oil wealth in Nigeria, many poor students continue to face financial hardship, prompting renewed scrutiny of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and its effectiveness in supporting access to education. According to Legit.ng, the contrast between the country's growing petroleum revenues and the ongoing struggles of disadvantaged students raises fresh questions about whether the fund is fulfilling its intended role in expanding educational opportunities for those most in need.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has dismissed as fake news a circulating image claiming that President Bola Tinubu announced life imprisonment for graduates who fail to repay their student loans. In a post on its official X account, NELFUND said the image, which appeared to show the front page of a newspaper report, was doctored, and urged the public to disregard the claim. The agency did not announce any such penalty for loan defaulters.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has condemned unethical practices by some tertiary institutions, including withholding tuition refunds and arbitrarily increasing school charges, despite receiving support from the federal government. This announcement was made in a public notice by the Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.

A PM News editorial urges the Nigerian government to safeguard the student loan scheme from failure, as NELFUND has disbursed N355.87 billion since opening its loan portal in May 2024. According to the report, the funds have covered institutional fees and students' upkeep, with more than 1.65 million applications processed by early September. The editorial frames the scheme's scale as a reason for stronger oversight to ensure its sustainability.