The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says while it does not guarantee jobs, it is developing a centralised job portal to give beneficiaries early access to employment opportunities in Nigeria and abroad.

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this on Thursday during a media engagement in Abuja marking one year since the scheme’s launch.

Sawyerr said the portal would aggregate listings from the public and private sectors, as well as from international employers seeking Nigerian talent.

“We don’t just give a loan and leave students on their own. This job portal is our way of supporting their journey toward economic stability,” he said.

He stressed that repayment would only begin after beneficiaries secure employment, noting that repayment starts after their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“If you don’t have a job, you don’t pay. And when you eventually get a job, your repayment starts fresh.

“Once employed, 10 per cent of the beneficiary’s monthly income is deducted automatically by the employer and remitted to NELFUND, following verification through the NELFUND employment register.

“If an employee is laid off or resigns, the deductions stop. And in the event of death, the loan is written off. The family is not harassed,” Sawyerr added.

On the issue of non-refund of fees to students who had paid before NELFUND disbursed their tuition to schools, the managing director appealed to institutions to return the fees to affected students.

He said institutions have a moral and professional obligation to refund these monies.

“We’ve received multiple petitions from students who paid under duress only to find their fees had also been paid by NELFUND.

“Institutions must refund this money. It’s disappointing that some schools have ignored this responsibility,” he said.

Sawyerr noted that the ICPC and EFCC have started questioning some institutions over delays or refusals to refund students.

“If an institution cannot refund directly to the student, they can pay the money back to us and we will ensure it gets to the rightful student,” he stated.

Speaking on the Fund’s future projection, the Executive Director of Operations, NELFUND, Mustapha Iyal, said the agency is currently managing over 3.2 million student records.

Iyal said NELFUND projects to process one million new applications by the end of 2025, stressing that the target is not mandatory but aimed at ensuring no student drops out due to financial hardship.

“Basically, our projection right now, we have about 3.2 million data students in our system.

“What we’re looking at this year, from now to the end of the year, we’re looking at about 1 million applications. We’re not pushing. We’re not saying that it’s compulsory.

“But we’re looking at how can we support 1 million applications to make sure that no one is dropping out of school,” he said.

PIAK

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, says the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) remains committed to enhancing its operational readiness by prioritising aircraft serviceability through a strong maintenance culture, institutional reforms, and strategic partnerships.

Air Marshal Abubakar stated this on Thursday while declaring open the 2025 Aircraft Engineering Conference at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja.

The Air Chief emphasised that “mission success in contemporary air operations is directly tied to the availability, airworthiness, and sustained performance of aircraft platforms,” underscoring the critical role of engineering excellence in the NAF’s transformation agenda.

Themed “Enhancing Aircraft Serviceability in the NAF through Strong Maintenance Culture and Strategic Partnerships,” the two-day conference brought together serving and retired aviation engineering experts to share practical solutions for sustaining high fleet readiness.

Describing the event as “timely and transformative,” Air Marshal Abubakar noted its significance in light of the Service’s expanding fleet and growing demand for efficient technical support.

He disclosed that the NAF had inducted 15 new aircraft in the last two years, with 49 more advanced platforms expected by the end of 2026.

In his keynote address, the CAS set a target of achieving a 90 per cent fleet serviceability rate by the fourth quarter of 2025, revealing that the NAF had already attained a 72 per cent average, owing to investments in technical manpower, spare parts, ground support equipment, and predictive maintenance systems.

“Each of these high-tech platforms demands sophisticated, data-driven maintenance to remain mission-ready,” he said.

He also identified the adoption of digital documentation protocols as a significant step towards maintenance precision and accountability.

A major highlight of the conference was the formal creation of the Directorate of Aircraft Life Cycle Management (DALCM), a strategic body tasked with overseeing aircraft health from induction to retirement.

According to the Air Chief, the directorate would ensure that every aircraft acquisition comes with a structured, long-term sustainment plan, aligning engineering practices with evolving operational needs.

This, he said, underscores the NAF’s commitment to proactive lifecycle management and self-reliance in aircraft sustainment.

Earlier, the Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CACE), Air Vice Marshal AI Amodu, thanked the CAS for his consistent support to the engineering branch and pledged continued innovation amid rapid technological change.

“We are the backbone of the Force, the ones who keep the wheels turning,” Amodu said, urging participants to take ownership of the engineering transformation process and commit to continuous improvement.

The first day featured technical presentations by seasoned aviation experts. Air Vice Marshal J Laoye spoke on “Technical Documentation in the NAF: A Prerequisite for Strong Maintenance Culture,” while AVM MA Yakubu (Rtd) delivered a paper on “Aircraft Maintenance and Operational Effectiveness: Leveraging Local and Foreign Partners.”

Both sessions sparked in-depth discussions focused on sustaining air power through collaboration, innovation, and engineering excellence.

The conference reaffirmed the NAF’s resolve to pursue engineering reforms and maintain a technologically advanced, combat-ready force aligned with Nigeria’s security imperatives.

PIAK

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says 396,252 students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria have so far benefited from its loan scheme as of July 2025.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the total loan applications received from eligible students across the country and the Federal Capital Territory stood at 645,692, with over ₦73.2 billion disbursed to beneficiaries.

Sawyerr, who gave the figures on Thursday in Abuja during a media engagement to mark NELFUND’s first anniversary, said the Fund had processed 94 per cent of the applications, covering 206 tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT.

He credited President Tinubu for demonstrating the political will to ensure the effective take-off of the student loan scheme, noting that the President’s intervention came at a time when many undergraduates were on the verge of dropping out.

“Since we opened our application portal in May 2024, we have made remarkable progress that is both measurable and meaningful. Over 645,692 applications have been received from eligible students across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT. Tuition and upkeep loans have been successfully disbursed to more than 396,252 students, many of whom are first-generation students in tertiary institutions,” Sawyerr said.

He explained that a fully digital, transparent loan portal had been deployed to ensure seamless processing, tracking, and verification, adding that the policy is designed to democratise access to higher education and skill development through sustainable financing.

However, he identified challenges such as institutional data integrity issues, delays in verification processes, and widespread misinformation.

“But let me be clear, this journey has not been without its challenges. We have encountered issues with some institutional data integrity, delays in verification processes, and widespread misinformation. Yet, through it all, we have remained steadfast — improving our systems, engaging directly with applicants, training institutional focal points, and responding swiftly to tickets, concerns, and grievances,” he said.

He warned against the spread of misinformation, saying it could jeopardise the noble objectives behind establishing the Fund.

“We urge Nigerians to always reach out to the Fund whenever they need clarification rather than resorting to peddling falsehood,” he said.

PIAK