The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the expansion of its student loan programme to vocational skills centres across the country.
This development was disclosed by Iyal Mustapha, the Executive Director of Operations at NELFUND, during a sensitisation visit to Enugu State on Friday. The campaign took the NELFUND team to several institutions, including the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu College of Education (Technical), and the MSME Clinics Fashion and Garment Hub.
Mustapha explained that the loan extension is designed to support young Nigerians interested in acquiring vocational skills such as fashion design, technical trades, and other hands-on professions. He noted that the scheme will not only cover training costs but also provide students with upkeep support and startup tools upon completion of their programmes.
“Enugu is one of the first states we are rolling this out in,” Mustapha said. “We’ve seen impressive structures and efforts at these skill centres. What we are doing is to open our portal for vocational applicants and provide them with designated centres for training. Once applicants from Enugu apply, for instance, we’ll direct them to the approved centres within the state.”
The NELFUND operations head added that while the exact amount for upkeep is still being finalised, transport-related charges and other institutional costs will be part of the loan package.
He revealed that similar centres in over 10 states have been identified, but described Enugu as “one of the most outstanding” so far. “We are still fine-tuning some parts of the guidelines, but the loan will be tailored to the training needs and cost proposals from each centre,” he said.
Also speaking during the visit, the Special Adviser to the Enugu State Governor on Digital Economy and SME Development, Arinze Chilo-Offiah, expressed readiness to work with NELFUND in scaling up the scheme in the state.
Chilo-Offiah, who also serves as the Director General of the Enugu SME Centre, noted that the Fashion and Garment Hub, one of the largest in the region, houses over 150 industrial sewing machines and can seat up to 500 trainees at a time.
“This partnership will enable access to zero-interest loans that will empower young people with vocational skills and tools to become economically independent,” he said.
Mrs. Patricia Nwanneka, Acting Registrar of IMT, welcomed the initiative and pledged that the institution would intensify efforts in educating students on the loan procedures and benefits. “This loan scheme is timely and promising. We will continue the sensitisation to ensure more of our students benefit,” she stated.
The move comes as part of the federal government’s broader push to encourage skill acquisition as a pathway to economic development and job creation, particularly for Nigerian youths who are not pursuing traditional university education.
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