By Kabiru Abdulrauf
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the official closure of its 2024/2025 academic session loan application portal. The window, which formally shuts down on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, will give way to preparations for the next academic cycle.
In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, NELFUND explained that the closure marks the end of its second full cycle. The Fund said it would now focus on processing pending applications and disbursing upkeep payments to approved beneficiaries.
Providing fresh timelines for the 2025/2026 session, the agency disclosed that the new application portal will open in the second week of October 2025 and remain active until January 2026. Institutions have been directed to update student records on the Student Verification System (SVS), as unverified applications from the 2024/2025 session will be automatically cancelled after October 8, 2025.
Students whose loan disbursements remain pending due to institutional lapses were urged to liaise with their schools. NELFUND also warned that it would begin publishing the names of non-compliant institutions “in the interest of transparency.”
The Managing Director/Chief Executive of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, described the portal closure as an essential step in preparing for a smooth transition into the new academic year.
“Announcing the closure of the current application portal is a necessary step to prepare for the next cycle. NELFUND remains committed to removing financial barriers for students and to working with institutions to ensure that no eligible student is left behind,” Sawyerr said.
He further stressed that strict compliance by institutions remains critical to avoid disruptions, especially as the Fund intensifies efforts to ensure wider access to the student loan scheme.
