The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has officially launched its 2025/2026 student loan application portal, offering renewed hope to eligible students across the country.

According to the agency, the portal will open from Thursday, October 23, 2025 and remain open until Saturday, January 31, 2026.

Who Qualifies & How to Apply

NELFUND says both newly admitted and returning students in accredited tertiary institutions are eligible. For freshers who may lack a matriculation number, the admission number or JAMB registration number may be used for verification.

Institutions are required to upload and verify student records on the NELFUND Student Verification Portal (SVP). This step, according to the fund, is essential to ensure that applicants’ credentials are validated for processing.

NELFUND has also urged institutions that have not yet begun academic sessions to formally submit their approved academic calendars, so scheduling can align with disbursement timelines.

Deadlines, Cancellations & Continuity

All applications submitted under the 2024/2025 window that remain unverified beyond October 8, 2025 will be automatically cancelled. Students affected are expected to reapply in this new cycle.

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Despite the portal’s prior closure at the end of September for the 2024/2025 session, NELFUND has stated that upkeep payments for students already approved will continue through November 2025.

Safeguards & Public Alert

In a related development, NELFUND has warned Nigerians against fraudulent portals posing as the official student loan site. A recent fake URL – purportedly tied to President Tinubu’s directive – was flagged by the agency as deceptive and unconnected to official operations.

As part of transparency measures, NELFUND has cautioned that non‑compliant institutions failing to verify records may be publicly named.