Top Applicants of Nigerian Student Loan Scheme Revealed: Kano, Borno, and Benue Lead

Nigerian students from Kano, Borno, and Benue states are leading in the number of applicants for the student loan scheme, according to recent data from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Top Applicants of Nigerian Student Loan Scheme Revealed: Kano, Borno, and Benue Lead

Nigerian students from Kano, Borno, and Benue states are leading in the number of applicants for the student loan scheme, according to recent data from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). The data, shared on NELFUND's official X (formerly Twitter) handle, highlights the states with the highest number of applicants for the student loan initiative.

Kano State tops the list with 17,122 applicants, followed by Borno with 13,798 applicants. Benue State ranks third with 11,754 applicants. These three states are the only ones with over 11,000 applicants.

The student loan scheme, a key initiative of President Bola Tinubu, was established to provide financial assistance to indigent and low-income Nigerians pursuing higher education. Shortly after his inauguration, President Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act, which established the legal framework for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). This act, reenacted earlier this year, aims to facilitate the payment of tuition fees for students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

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NELFUND is responsible for managing loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery. It is funded from various sources and engages in additional productive activities to support its mission.

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The data also reveals the number of applicants from other states:

  • Oyo: 8,990
  • Kaduna: 10,380
  • Katsina: 10,952
  • 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
  • Delta: 2,771
  • Ebonyi: 2,981
  • Cross-River: 2,476
  • Enugu: 2,247
  • Abia: 2,170
  • Lagos: 2,347
  • Anambra: 1,840
  • Zamfara: 2,986
  • Edo: 2,149
  • Rivers: 2,162
  • Sokoto: 2,055
  • Bayelsa: 1,267
  • Federal Capital Territory: 676

This data reflects the growing interest and reliance on the student loan scheme to support higher education across Nigeria.