Nigerian Education Loan Fund extends application deadline

Nigeria’s student loan boss hit pause on the deadline, giving applicants extra breathing room instead of slamming the door shut.

Deadline extension details

• The Nigerian Education Loan Fund pushed the cutoff back to February 27.
• The earlier deadline sat at January 31.
• Spokesperson Oseyemi Oluwatuyi confirmed the change.
• The move buys students more application time.

Application cycle context

• The Nigerian Education Loan Fund opened its second intake on October 23.
• Officials said time pressure was blocking some applicants.
• The portal stays live through the new cutoff.
• The goal is fuller, completed submissions.

Leadership rationale

• Nigerian Education Loan Fund Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr backed the extension.
• He framed it as fairness for eligible Nigerian students.
• Access and inclusivity drove the decision.
• Applicants were urged to finish and submit.

Bigger policy backdrop

• The Nigerian Education Loan Fund was launched in 2023.
• Earlier applications ran from May 2024 through February 21, 2025.
• President Bola Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act.
• Public tertiary students qualify for interest-free loans.