NELFUND opens 2025 student loan application portal for tertiary students in Nigeria, with applications open from 23 October 2025 to 31 January 2026.

NELFUND student loan application 2025 portal has officially opened, offering financial assistance to students across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.

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The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) made the announcement on Tuesday through its Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi. According to the statement, the application portal will remain open from Thursday, 23 October 2025, until Saturday, 31 January 2026.

The agency encouraged fresh students to apply using either their Admission Number or JAMB Registration Number, especially if their matriculation number has not yet been issued.

To prevent delays in access to education, NELFUND has appealed to tertiary institutions to exercise flexibility around registration and tuition payment deadlines for students awaiting loan disbursements.

“Institutional institutions are encouraged to show understanding in enforcing registration and fee payment deadlines for students whose loan applications are being processed,” the statement said.

In a special notice, the agency also requested institutions that have not commenced their academic calendar for the 2025/2026 session to formally write to NELFUND with approved dates for scheduling flexibility.

The agency further appealed to all institutions to consider temporary registration measures for students in the loan application process, to ensure no student is denied access to higher education due to financial constraints.

The initiative is part of the federal government’s broader education reform efforts aimed at expanding access and reducing the burden of tuition on Nigerian families.

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With the application window now open, students across the country are expected to take advantage of the opportunity before the 31 January 2026 deadline.