The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has issued a stern directive to all accredited tertiary institutions, warning that student loan disbursements will not proceed unless schools verify and upload student data on the Student Loan Application System (SLAS).
The directive, announced on NELFUND’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, comes shortly after the SLAS portal underwent a major upgrade aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in loan processing.
“All accredited institutions must request access to SLAS to verify and upload student data related to loan applications. This is a critical step that ensures the timely processing and disbursement of approved student loans,” the Fund stated.
Institutions Urged to Act Without Delay
NELFUND called on institutions that are not yet onboarded to urgently send an access request to: registration@nelf.gov.ng. Once granted access, schools will be able to:
Verify student-submitted data
Monitor application status through a real-time dashboard
Track the progress of each loan request end-to-end
The agency stressed that no disbursement will be made until the school completes the verification process.
Update for Applicants Showing ‘Verified’ Status
For students whose NELFUND application status currently reads “Verified,” the Fund clarified that this only indicates completion of preliminary checks. Final disbursement of fees will only occur after their institution confirms and uploads their data to SLAS.
“Once the process is complete, status will automatically update to ‘Disbursed’, confirming that payment has been made,” the Fund added.
NELFUND Expands Reach and Improves Access
Between May 2024 and May 2025, NELFUND disbursed over ₦56.85 billion to 298,124 students across 198 institutions.
As part of its expansion drive, the Fund has announced plans to include vocational and technical centres in its scheme. Rollout will begin in Enugu State between late June and mid-July 2025.
Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr noted that the scheme will cover trades such as fashion design and other technical skills, adding that Enugu was chosen due to its strong infrastructure and administrative preparedness.
In addition, NELFUND plans to integrate its loan application process directly into school portals, enabling students to apply through their institutional platforms instead of using the main NELFUND site.
