The Management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) announced on Tuesday a 14-day postponement of the student loan application process for state-owned institutions due to “low data submissions,” according to a statement released in Abuja.

The Fund explained that the delay is due to the failure of several state-owned institutions to upload the necessary student data and fee information to the NELFUND Student Verification System.

“To date, only a limited number of state-owned institutions have successfully completed the data submission process. These include 20 state universities out of 48, 12 state colleges out of 54, and 2 state polytechnics out of 49,” the statement read.

While acknowledging the efforts of the compliant institutions, NELFUND emphasized that the lack of submissions from the remaining institutions poses significant challenges to ensuring a seamless and accurate verification process for student loan applicants.

The application window, initially set to open on June 25, 2024, will now commence on July 10, 2024. The extension aims to provide additional time for state institutions to comply with the data submission requirements, ensuring that their students can benefit from the Federal Government student loan scheme.

To facilitate an efficient and error-free application process, it is crucial for all state institutions to provide complete and accurate information. This includes JAMB numbers, matriculation numbers, admission numbers, full names, level, faculties, departments, program duration, fees, and gender of all eligible students.

NELFUND warned that incomplete or incorrect data submissions would result in application delays and potential disqualification for affected students. The Fund urged all state institutions to expedite their data submission processes and ensure the accuracy of the information provided.

Institutions that fail to meet the revised deadline risk disadvantaging their students, who depend on these loans to support their education.