Yes, the NELFUND loan scheme is still running in 2026. The Nigerian Education Loan Fund continues to accept applications, process approvals, and disburse funds to students in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The programme has not been suspended, cancelled, or replaced. It remains the federal government’s primary vehicle for funding tuition and upkeep costs for eligible Nigerian students, and it is expected to continue operating into the 2026/2027 academic session and beyond.
That said, “ongoing” does not mean identical to how it looked at launch. The scheme has gone through policy adjustments since it started, including changes to how upkeep payments work, extended application windows, and the early stages of loan recovery from the first set of working beneficiaries. This article explains where the programme currently stands, what has changed, and what students need to know before assuming their loan status.
What NELFUND Is and Why the Question Comes Up
NELFUND stands for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. It operates under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, which President Bola Tinubu signed in 2023 and which was revised through a Repeal and Re-enactment Act in 2024 to fix gaps in eligibility rules, governance, and repayment structure. The fund exists to give interest-free loans to Nigerian students studying in approved public universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and vocational institutions.
Students search for confirmation that the loan is “still ongoing” for a few practical reasons:
- Conflicting information circulates on social media about the scheme being paused or scrapped.
- Some students experience delayed disbursements and assume the programme has stopped.
- Reports about loan repayment beginning for early beneficiaries create confusion about whether new applications are still open.
- Institutions occasionally circulate internal memos about repayment procedures, which some students misread as the entire scheme winding down.
None of these situations mean NELFUND has ended. They reflect normal administrative activity in a large, actively growing loan programme.
Current Status: Applications and Disbursements Are Active
As of September 2026, NELFUND has processed over 1.65 million applications and disbursed more than ₦322 billion to students spread across more than 319 institutions. These figures include applications processed and funds disbursed across the life of the programme up to that point. A separate policy review published the same week put cumulative disbursement at roughly ₦355.87 billion to about 850,000 beneficiaries since the loan portal opened in May 2024, illustrating how frequently these numbers get updated as fresh disbursement batches go out.
The exact figures differ slightly between sources because NELFUND releases funds in continuous batches rather than one lump sum, and different reports capture the count at different points in the month. The consistent pattern across every recent report is growth, not decline. The fund keeps adding institutions, keeps approving new applicants, and keeps releasing money on a rolling basis.
Institutional charges (tuition and approved school fees) are paid directly to the school. Upkeep support, currently set at ₦20,000 a month for eligible students, is paid into the student’s personal bank account. Both categories remain active components of the scheme in the current academic cycle.
Application Windows: They Open and Close, But the Programme Doesn’t
One thing that confuses students is the difference between an application cycle closing and the entire programme shutting down. NELFUND runs application windows tied to each academic session rather than keeping the portal permanently open for new submissions all year round.
For the 2025/2026 academic session, the portal opened for a second application cycle in October 2025. The original deadline was set for January 31, 2026, but NELFUND extended it to February 27, 2026, to give more prospective applicants time to complete their submissions. NELFUND’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, described the extension as part of the fund’s commitment to inclusivity and wider access.
This pattern is worth understanding: when an application deadline passes, it does not mean NELFUND stopped operating. It means that particular intake window closed, and a new one opens ahead of the next academic session. Students who miss one cycle typically get another opportunity when the fund opens applications for the following session.
Table: NELFUND Key Facts as of Late 2026
| Category | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Programme status | Active and ongoing |
| Legal basis | Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Repeal and Re-enactment Act, 2024 |
| Applications processed | Over 1.65 million |
| Total disbursed | Roughly ₦322–₦356 billion (varies by reporting date) |
| Institutions covered | Over 319 |
| Monthly upkeep allowance | ₦20,000 |
| Interest rate | 0% (interest-free) |
| Repayment trigger | Employment, starting after a grace period |
| Grace period | 2 years after completion of NYSC |
| Repayment rate | 10% of monthly salary or profit for self-employed beneficiaries |
| Application portal | portal.nelf.gov.ng |
This table reflects the general shape of the scheme rather than fixed, permanent numbers. Disbursement totals rise continuously as more approved loans go out, so students should treat the figures as a snapshot rather than a final count.
Has Upkeep Disbursement Changed?
Yes, in one important way. NELFUND announced that upkeep loan disbursement is now strictly tied to the academic session of each institution. Once an institution’s academic year ends, upkeep payments for that session automatically stop. Students who move into a new academic year do not continue receiving the previous session’s upkeep allowance automatically. Instead, they need to apply again at the start of each new academic session to remain eligible for both institutional charges and upkeep for that specific period.
This shift explains why some students report their upkeep suddenly stopping and mistake it for the programme ending. In reality, it reflects a tightened administrative rule requiring fresh applications each session rather than a discontinuation of the loan scheme itself.
Is Repayment Starting? What That Means for Current Applicants
Repayment has begun for a small number of early beneficiaries, and this is likely the biggest source of confusion around whether NELFUND is “still ongoing.” Repayment does not start while a student is studying, immediately after graduation, or during NYSC. It only starts after a two-year grace period following completion of NYSC, once the beneficiary becomes employed.
Once employment begins, the responsibility for remitting loan repayment sits primarily with the employer, not the graduate directly. Employers are expected to deduct 10% of the beneficiary’s monthly income and remit it to NELFUND monthly, regardless of whether the employee is paid weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Self-employed beneficiaries are expected to calculate and pay their own 10% based on monthly profit. NELFUND has also set up a Global Standing Instruction system to recover funds from beneficiaries who avoid repayment despite having money in their bank accounts.
Some institutions have circulated internal notices instructing beneficiaries on repayment procedures, and these notices occasionally get mistaken online for signs that NELFUND is shutting down or converting to a stricter debt-collection scheme. NELFUND and affected institutions have pushed back on some of these circulated notices, clarifying that formal repayment communication comes through official channels, not unverified circulars. Students should treat any repayment instruction that did not come from the official NELFUND portal or a verified institutional office with caution.
A policy review released in September 2026 raised concerns about whether NELFUND’s current repayment framework can realistically recover a large share of the money already disbursed, especially from self-employed graduates outside formal payroll systems. The review recommended tighter integration between NELFUND and national income data. This is a sustainability debate about how the fund manages recovery going forward, not an indication that the loan programme has stopped issuing new loans.
How to Confirm Your Own Loan Status
Because national headlines describe the scheme in general terms, the most reliable way to know your individual status is to check directly through official channels rather than relying on rumors. The steps below apply to any student trying to confirm whether their application, disbursement, or repayment status is active.
- Log into the official portal at portal.nelf.gov.ng using your registered NIN and account details.
- Check the “Loans” tab on your dashboard, which shows whether your application is pending, approved, or disbursed.
- Confirm your institution has uploaded your enrollment and fee details, since disbursement delays often trace back to the school rather than NELFUND itself.
- Watch for official statements from NELFUND’s communications office rather than screenshots or forwarded messages on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Reapply at the start of each new academic session if you want continued institutional charges and upkeep coverage, since eligibility does not carry over automatically between sessions.
Will NELFUND Continue Beyond 2026?
All available signals point to continuation rather than discontinuation. The fund keeps opening new application cycles, keeps growing its list of covered institutions, and is developing additional support structures such as a centralized job portal meant to help beneficiaries find employment faster once they graduate, which in turn helps trigger the start of their repayment obligations. This job portal initiative, set to expand from 2026, indicates NELFUND is planning for its own long-term operation rather than winding down.
The scheme’s continued legal backing under the 2024 Act, its steady disbursement pattern, and its expanding institutional coverage all support the conclusion that NELFUND remains an active, ongoing federal government programme for the foreseeable future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NELFUND still giving out loans in 2026?
Yes. Disbursements are ongoing, with new batches released continuously to approved applicants across hundreds of institutions.
Can I still apply for NELFUND right now?
It depends on the current application window for your academic session. NELFUND opens and closes application cycles at different points in the year, so check the official portal for the current cycle’s deadline.
Does missing an application deadline mean I lose access to NELFUND permanently?
No. It means you missed that particular cycle. A new application window typically opens for the next academic session.
Has NELFUND repayment started for anyone yet?
Yes, for early beneficiaries who have completed NYSC, passed the two-year grace period, and secured employment. Repayment is 10% of monthly income, usually remitted by the employer.
Why did my upkeep payment stop even though I’m still in school?
Upkeep is tied to each academic session. When a session ends, payments stop automatically, and you need to reapply for the new session to continue receiving support.