South East lawmakers have raised concerns about the region’s exclusion from the current student loan program administered by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)

Despite the distribution of ₦2.95 billion to 27,667 students across 19 institutions nationwide, no recipients are from South East universities or colleges. 

NELFUND has attributed the exclusion to the failure of South East institutions to respond to requests for student list verification, a crucial step for loan disbursement. Although verification requests were sent to all institutions, South East schools have not yet complied, resulting in their students not being included in the beneficiary list.

In response, the South East caucus, through a statement signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Igariwey Enwo, urged the region’s institutions to complete the verification process promptly. They stressed the need for South East students to take advantage of the federal initiative to ease financial burdens and improve access to higher education.

The statement urged South East students to apply for the loans, emphasizing that participation in such programs is vital for overcoming challenges to higher education and personal development. It highlighted the need for the region to actively participate in and benefit from federal programs to avoid missing out on opportunities available to other regions. The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the South East remains competitive in accessing development opportunities.