"Access to Education Is a Right, Not a Privilege"—Information Minister Champions NELFUND at FUT Minna

The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has described the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a landmark intervention by the Federal Government to ensure that no Nigerian student is forced to drop out of school due to financial hardship. NELFUND Official Portal

Delivering the 34th Convocation Lecture at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, the Minister emphasized that the fund is a core pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration to democratize access to quality higher education. FUT Minna Official Website

A key highlight of the Minister’s address was the challenge of information gaps among the youth. He noted that many eligible students fail to benefit from government initiatives not because the funds are unavailable, but due to a lack of awareness or a mindset influenced by skepticism.

"Opportunities such as student loans, affordable credit facilities, and vocational training programmes already exist," Idris stated. "However, these can only make an impact when young people actively seek, seize, and properly utilize them." Federal Ministry of Information

The Minister reassured the academic community that NELFUND is designed with a strict policy of inclusivity, stating that the loans are accessible to all Nigerians regardless of:

Ethnicity or Region

Religion or Gender

Political Affiliation

He further linked the success of NELFUND to broader national reforms, including the Nigeria Startup Act, which aims to empower graduates to transition from job seekers to wealth creators. NELFUND Application Tracker

In his final remarks to the graduating class, reported by the SUG Public Relations Officer, Comr. Muhammad Nurudeen Liman, the Minister urged the new "FUTites" to move beyond the comfort of the campus and take an active role in nation-building. He encouraged them to leverage available government credit and training schemes to drive innovation in the private sector. Daily Trust

The lecture concluded with a call for students to stay optimistic about the Nigerian project, urging them to be "ambassadors of hope" in the face of negative narratives.