The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, has vowed to maintain strict integrity and transparency in the management of its student loan scheme, pledging zero tolerance for fraudulent activities within its ecosystem.
Speaking at a strategic workshop in Abuja with key stakeholders, including heads of anti-corruption bodies, military and paramilitary agencies, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, emphasized NELFUND’s commitment to building a fraud-resistant, audit-compliant system.
The forum marked the conclusion of a five-day stakeholder engagement session aimed at aligning education administrators, university vice chancellors, and student union leaders around the vision of creating a credible, efficient student loan framework.
Sawyerr stressed the critical role of inter-agency collaboration in fortifying the Fund’s operations.
He revealed that NELFUND is already working with partner agencies to develop whistleblower channels, real-time data verification tools, joint audit mechanisms, and public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on their rights and responsibilities under the loan scheme.
“As custodians of public trust, your institutions are vital to NELFUND’s long-term credibility and sustainability.
“Our mission is to prevent abuse before it happens by embedding integrity at every level, from applicant verification to fund tracking,” he said.
The NELFUND boss noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to expand access to education and create equitable opportunities for all Nigerians, particularly youth.
He emphasized that while expanding access to education is vital, it must be matched with systems of accountability to ensure lasting impact.
Over recent months, NELFUND has made significant progress, including deploying a fully automated, data-driven loan management platform, onboarding over 400 higher institutions, and successfully testing digital workflows for loan processing.
Disbursements, according to him, are on track to begin as scheduled.
He called for sustained cooperation to shield the initiative from insider threats, technical loopholes, and external manipulation, reiterating that “access without integrity breeds inefficiency, and expansion without oversight invites exploitation.”
Also speaking, Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, represented by Air Commodore Friday Bassey, urged NELFUND to prioritize children of fallen military personnel in its disbursement plans.
He highlighted the educational struggles many face in the absence of their breadwinners and said support from the Fund would motivate serving officers and honor the sacrifices of their predecessors.
Sawyerr closed by reinforcing NELFUND’s vision to become a model of efficiency and trust in public service delivery: “With your partnership, we can turn this initiative into a beacon of hope, where every Nigerian child, regardless of background, can dream boldly and achieve greatly.”
