The Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Prof. Timothy Adebayo, has commended the Federal Government’s consideration of including students of private tertiary institutions in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund scheme.

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, had on Thursday, during a strategic engagement and sensitisation session with heads of institutions and stakeholders in Enugu, hinted at the possibility of expanding the student loan scheme to private institutions within the next three years.

Reacting to the development, Prof. Adebayo described the move as a welcome step that would help bridge the gap between public and private tertiary institutions, particularly in terms of access to government support.

According to him, the initiative would promote fairness, expand access to education, and ease the admission burden on public universities.

“Regardless of the type of institution they attend, education is a fundamental right of our youth, and they should have equal opportunities to pursue higher education without financial barriers,” he said.

“The Federal Government’s student loan initiative is commendable. However, while it currently benefits students in public institutions, the government must also recognise that financial challenges exist in private institutions.

“Many students in private universities come from low- or middle-income backgrounds and often struggle with tuition fees. The notion that private university students are all from wealthy homes is a misconception.”

Adebayo expressed satisfaction at NELFUND’s assurance, saying, “I am happy to hear that NELFUND CEO, Mr Sawyerr said students in private institutions would soon be considered for loans.”

He added that extending the loan scheme to private universities would also help decongest public institutions, as more students would be encouraged to attend private schools, knowing they can access financial support.

“In the long run, it fosters inclusive national development and ensures all Nigerian students are treated fairly, irrespective of the institutions they attend,” he said.

The vice-chancellor further called on the Federal Government to review the policies guiding the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to allow private institutions to benefit from its intervention programmes.

“TETFUND has significantly supported the development of education in public institutions through its interventions,” Adebayo said.

“However, private universities, though privately owned, were established to advance education in Nigeria. Their students are Nigerians too, and they deserve equitable access to such support.

“Private institutions should also be considered in the disbursement of TETFUND interventions, as they contribute meaningfully to the national education landscape.”