President Bola Tinubu has lauded Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a diplomat and former Commonwealth Secretary-General for his contributions to good governance, democracy and world peace.

Tinubu made the commendation while inaugurating the Emeka Anyaoku Institute for International Studies and Diplomacy, located inside the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.

He described Anyaoku as a “great Nigerian and a patriotic man with commitment to values and nation building”.

According to him, Anyaoku should be commended for promoting democracy, good governance and world peace in the course of his service.

“We must invest in education as it is the greatest weapon against poverty.

“Here is a man who helped tremendously to bring about constitutional democracy, freedom and stability.

“His patriotism is boundless. His commitment to values and nation building is invaluable. I’m glad he is alive.

“I’m glad my friend, Gov. Charles Soludo, his team and many of you are here to honor him, immortalise him and ensure he remains a fulcrum of our learning and intellectual development and diplomacy,” he said.

The president urged the management of the institution to ensure adequate maintenance of the building and its facilities.

Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to advancing the education sector.

He said that significant resources had consistently been allocated, especially toward tertiary education.

“Let me divert attention to the Governing Council and Management of the university.

“In recent times, we have had cause to intervene in the affairs of this university and a few others, to arrest what could be described as administrative rascalities.

“My government is committing lots of resources to the education sector and shall not allow wrong use of autonomy to derail us,” he said.

Earlier, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of NAU, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, expressed gratitude for the President’s visit to the university.

Ikechebelu praised the President for his intervention to what he described as ‘Administrative rascality’ in 2024.

He also expressed gratitude at the decision to establish the world-class institute within the institution.

“This facility is built by contributions from friends of Anyaoku to immortalise and internalise his diplomatic activities.

“We will ensure the efficient operation of the institute to achieve its primary goal of equipping prospective students with globally recognised principles of peace and conflict resolution.

The Emeka Anyaoku Institute for International Studies and Diplomacy was established to offer degree and certificate programmes in International Relations, Diplomacy, and Peace and Conflict Resolution. (NAN)

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has urged student leaders across various tertiary institutions to take full ownership of the new interest-free education loan scheme.

This call was made by the Executive Director of Operations at NELFUND, Iyal Mustapha, during a Stakeholders’ Engagement Session and Technical Workshop on NELFUND System Automation and Loan Application Processes in Abuja.

The fourth day of the stakeholders’ engagement was dedicated to a session with Student Union Presidents of tertiary institutions.

Mustapha cautioned institutions against delays in verifying students’ applications.

He explained that once applications are verified, they are forwarded to the respective institutions for confirmation, a step that has sometimes delayed disbursement due to slow institutional responses.

“We need your schools to respond promptly. If they don’t confirm your status, we cannot release the funds. You must play a role in ensuring your institutions fulfill their responsibilities.

“This is your opportunity. We are the youth, and we are here to support you. This loan is about removing financial barriers so you can focus on your education.

“There is no interest, no guarantor, and no harassment, only a commitment to learning,” he stated.

Mustapha explained that the NELFUND scheme was developed to address dropout rates linked to financial hardship.

According to him, it provides Nigerian students with access to loans that cover institutional charges and include a monthly upkeep allowance.

He emphasised that any student enrolled in a recognised tertiary institution in Nigeria is eligible, regardless of background or geographical location.

“There is no reason for anyone to drop out of school,” he added.

Addressing concerns about loan repayment, Mustapha assured students that repayment would only commence two years after completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and only if the graduate is employed.

“In the event of death or a medically verified permanent disability, the loan would be written off.

“No one is pursuing you. This is your loan, your government, and your repayment supports the next generation,” he said.

He also advised students who had received upkeep allowances without corresponding institutional fee payments to approach their institutions, noting that upkeep funds cannot be disbursed unless institutional charges are settled.

“One of the issues we have identified is that some institutions are failing to notify students when payments have been made.

“Anyone who has received upkeep should understand that their institutional charges have already been paid to their institution,” he clarified.

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olushola Oladoja, warned institutions and individuals allegedly undermining the federal government’s student loan scheme.

Speaking on the allegations of sabotage by some institutions, Oladoja revealed that the association had set up a five-member investigative committee to examine growing concerns about loan disbursement and accountability.

According to him, NANS took swift action following intelligence from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), which reported irregularities in how some institutions handled student loan payments.

“We received information indicating that there are issues within NELFUND, including cases where the Fund claims to have paid institutions, but the schools failed to notify the students.

“This cannot be allowed to persist. Our committee will engage directly with NELFUND, visit the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to verify findings, and get to the root of the matter,” he stated.

Also speaking, Umar Lawal, a final-year student of Bayero University, Kano, commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for delivering on its promise of a student loan scheme aimed at transforming tertiary education in Nigeria.

While expressing appreciation for the initiative, Lawal also raised concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in some tertiary institutions, saying it must be addressed. (NAN)

 Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), has reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to developing a technology-driven system aimed at enhancing easy and equitable access to student loans.

Sawyerr gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing representatives from Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and Institutes during a Stakeholders Engagement Session and Technical Workshop on NELFUND System Automation and Loan Application Processes.

He explained that the Fund was working towards a seamless, transparent platform that allowed students to confidently access loans without unnecessary stress.

“At NELFUND, our mission goes beyond disbursing loans.

“For too long, students, especially in technical institutions, have faced significant financial barriers. Many have had to drop out, while others never even considered applying.

“That’s the gap we at NELFUND aim to close but we can’t do it alone. This is a shared mission involving government institutions and the private sector,” Sawyerr said.

Sawyerr emphasised that NELFUND was not only providing financial support but also building a technology-driven infrastructure that enabled easier application processes, institutional verification, and fast, fair disbursement.

“We’re striving for stress-free access a system students can trust.

“Transparency is key so that no applicant is left in the dark. We rely on you, our institutional partners, to help bring this vision to life,” he added.

He urged institutions to partner with NELFUND, saying the goal was to build a system that would not only be functional and sustainable but also truly transformative.

“As we integrate NELFUND processes with institutional systems and standards, we must remember that at the centre of all this is the student, a young Nigerian with dreams and ambition. Everything we do must serve that student.

“The only way forward is through collaboration, open communication, and practical solutions,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Iyal Mustapha, Executive Director of Operations at NELFUND, said that more than 320,000 students had received funding so far, with further verifications ongoing.

Mustapha clarified that discrepancies between registered students and those whose applications were successfully processed often stemmed from incomplete applications on the students’ part.

“We have 576,000 registrations on our portal, but only 516,000 completed applications. Some may have dropped out due to data issues or just wanted to test the system.

“We want to bridge this gap, and with your support, we can ensure more students access the institutional loan,” he said.

Mustapha further explained that the institutional loan, which is different from the monthly upkeep loan of N20,000, was disbursed directly to institutions.

He added that NELFUND was considering integrating directly with institutional portals to simplify the process for students.

“We’re exploring the possibility of deploying our IT teams to institutions to enable direct connection with your portals.

“Ideally, students should be able to apply via your platforms without having to come through NELFUND, making the process smoother and more accessible,” he said