By Clifford Ejenavi
The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, on Thursday January 15, 2026 arrived in Ondo State as part of an ongoing nationwide sensitisation campaign to deepen awareness and boost participation in the student loan scheme.
Sawyerr’s visit to the Sunshine State is aimed at engaging the state government on the objectives, processes and benefits of the NELFUND initiative. The sensitisation drive is designed to ensure eligible Nigerian students fully understand how to access the interest-free education loans introduced to ease the financial burden of higher education.
During the visit, the MD/CE formally presented the NELFUND one‑year progress report to His Excellency, Executive Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The presentation was made in the presence of His Excellency, Deputy Governor, Mr. Olayide Adelami, as well as other senior government officials and key stakeholders.
The engagement provided the opportunity to showcase NELFUND’s ongoing initiatives, and discuss the Fund’s impact on students and tertiary institutions within the state. Sawyerr reaffirmed NELFUND’s commitment to working closely with the Ondo State Government to ensure the Fund’s benefits reach as many students as possible.
Sawyerr reiterated further the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to quality education, noting that no willing and qualified student should be denied tertiary education due to financial constraints. He stressed that NELFUND was established as a sustainable intervention to support students in public tertiary institutions across the country.
The Ondo State sensitisation tour is part of NELFUND’s broader strategy to take the student loan message to all parts of the country, reinforcing the Renewed Hope Agenda of inclusive education, human capital development and national growth.
Accompanying the MD/CE on the visit were Executive Director, Operations, Mr. Mustapha Iyal; Director, Servicom, Mr. Sola Fowobaje; Director, Strategic Communications, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi; Assistant Director, Facility & Fleet, Mr. Tolutayo Olajolo; Technical Assistant to the MD/CE, Mr. Nasir Ayitogo; Personal Assistant to the MD/CE, Mr. Yomi Gbadamosi; Senior Manager, Strategic Communications, Mr. Fola Ogunniya and Personal Assistant to the ED, Operations, Mr. Yaseed Mohammed.
