NELFUND Is Changing The Game: No More Excuses For Poor Students, Says Shettima
Nigeria is walking the talk on education. Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is a game-changer, giving children from poor backgrounds a real shot at higher education. No more stories of brilliant minds locked out of classrooms because of money.
Speaking on Wednesday when he received the management team of the University of Abuja, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, Shettima made it clear: poverty is no longer a barrier. NELFUND, a flagship initiative of the President Bola Tinubu administration, is covering tuition fees and even throwing in monthly upkeep allowances for students who need it most.
What is NELFUND doing for Nigerian students?
NELFUND is not just a loan scheme. It is a social equaliser, a poverty-killer, and a serious tool for national development. According to Shettima, the fund has removed the financial roadblocks that have kept too many talented young Nigerians from chasing their dreams.
“NELFUND is a very beautiful initiative by the leadership of this country under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, created to give respite and breathing space to the children of the poor,” Shettima said, recalling his own days as a student at the University of Maiduguri when times were tough.
This is about dignity. It is about access. And it is about telling every young Nigerian that your background does not determine your future.
Nigeria's economy is finally moving in the right direction
Shettima did not stop at education. He also made it clear that Nigeria has crossed the Rubicon. The country is now firmly on the path of sustainable economic development under the Tinubu administration.
The proof? Global rating agencies have upgraded Nigeria's sovereign credit ratings and outlooks. Stronger foreign exchange reserves, higher oil production, and increased federal allocations following the removal of the fuel subsidy are all part of the story. The macroeconomic reforms of the Renewed Hope agenda are biting, and they are working.
This is the kind of progress that makes you stand a little taller. Nigeria is not just surviving; it is positioning itself for real, lasting growth.
University of Abuja gets major praise from the VP
Shettima also gave a big shout-out to the management of the University of Abuja under Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi. He said the Vice Chancellor has provided leadership that helped the institution overcome its past challenges. The university is now standing on a solid pedestal, with real stability restored.
The Federal Government, Shettima pledged, will do everything within its ability to support the school. That is the kind of commitment we need to see across the board.
Fawehinmi, for his part, returned the love. He described Shettima as a mentor and a highly cerebral leader whose support has been invaluable to the university's Governing Board.
“We have always known you to be a highly cerebral and dynamic leader. We appreciate the generous strides you are making in the country. We are not surprised at your intellectual agility,” Fawehinmi said.
He also acknowledged that NELFUND, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, has helped bring relative stability to the education sector. Students can now attend school and sustain their stay. That is what real leadership looks like.
What does this mean for the average Nigerian student?
It means hope. It means opportunity. It means the government is finally putting its money where its mouth is. For every student who has ever worried about school fees, NELFUND is a lifeline. For every parent who has sacrificed everything for their child's education, this is relief.
The message is simple: poverty is no longer an excuse. The door to higher education is open, and NELFUND is holding it wide open.
This is the Nigeria we want to see. This is the Nigeria we are building.