The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced that its application portal for the 2024/2025 academic session will close on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, officially bringing the scheme’s second cycle to an end.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the Fund’s Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the closure will enable NELFUND to finalize pending applications and continue upkeep payments to current beneficiaries.
The agency also released a timeline for the next cycle, confirming that the portal will reopen in the second week of October 2025 for new applications into the 2025/2026 academic session. The window will remain open until January 2026.
Institutions have been directed to promptly update students’ records on the Student Verification System (SVS) to ensure smooth processing. NELFUND warned that all unverified applications for the outgoing cycle will be automatically cancelled after October 8, 2025, urging affected students to press their schools for timely verification.
The Fund noted that delays in some applications were due to institutions’ failure to verify student lists, warning that non-compliant schools risk public naming for transparency.
Meanwhile, upkeep payments for the 2024/2025 session will continue until November 2025, but all beneficiaries must reapply under the new cycle to remain eligible.
Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, said the move is aimed at ensuring efficiency and wider access.
“Closing the current application portal is a necessary step to prepare for the next cycle. NELFUND remains committed to breaking financial barriers for students and ensuring that no eligible applicant is left behind,” he said.
Students were advised to work closely with their schools, complete their applications early, and take advantage of the Fund’s interest-free student loan scheme.