The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere (FUK), Professor Umaru Pate, has announced that 8,266 students of the institution have benefited from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) loans, with over ₦1.07 billion disbursed so far.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the university’s sixth to ninth combined convocation ceremonies, Pate praised the Federal Government’s commitment to education, describing the NELFund initiative as one of the most impactful student support programs in the past two decades.
“In the last 10 to 20 years, there has been no programme that has impacted the lives of Nigerian students like NELFund,” he said. “The president has done extensively well for this university. Over 8,266 students have benefited from ₦1,073,966,500 in NELFund loans. Their service charges and monthly upkeep have been fully paid.”
Pate expressed optimism that more students would continue to benefit from the scheme, which aims to reduce the financial burden on undergraduates across the country.
The Vice Chancellor also provided a breakdown of the academic achievements of the 6,870 students graduating from the university.
Out of the total, 91 students earned first-class degrees, representing about 1 percent of the graduating class. A majority of 3,917 students secured second-class lower degrees (57 percent), while 1,899 obtained second-class upper (28 percent), and 960 students will graduate with third-class degrees. Three students earned pass degrees.
Pate noted that 4,791 of the graduates are male (70 percent), while 2,079 are female. He acknowledged the gender gap and highlighted the need to work harder on increasing female enrollment and overall access to higher education.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) was created by the Federal Government to provide interest-free loans and financial assistance to students pursuing higher education. Its rollout has been lauded for expanding access to education, especially for students from underprivileged backgrounds.
