The launch of the Nigerian Students Loan Scheme has been postponed indefinitely by the Federal Government, according to Akintunde Sawyer, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
In an interview on Tuesday, Sawyer revealed the postponement, stating, “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to commit to a specific date. We are sort of waiting to ensure that all the stakeholders are aligned to make sure that nobody is blindsided, then we can actually roll this out in a meaningful, comprehensive, wholesome and sustainable way.”
The delay comes after previous announcements from President Bola Tinubu and Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, suggesting different timelines for the launch.
Tinubu had initially signed a bill for the loan scheme in June 2023, with expectations for it to start between September and October 2023. Later, he indicated a January 2024 start date, citing additional features like vocational studies.
Despite assurances of readiness, Sawyer cited the need for corrections around the launch as the reason for the postponement.
