Experts Demand Equal Access to Student Loans Funding for Private and Public University Students in Nigeria

The Vice Chancellor of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Professor Jonathan Babalola, has called on the Federal Government to include students of private universities in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Speaking during a press briefing ahead of the institution’s 20th convocation ceremony, Professor Babalola described the exclusion of private university students from the student loan scheme as unfair and discriminatory.

He explained that both public and private university students are Nigerians who deserve equal access to educational funding. According to him, it is unjust for the government to fund students in public institutions through taxes that are also paid by parents of private university students while denying the latter access to the same financial assistance.

The education loan initiative, launched by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, was designed to provide interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and living expenses. The programme began accepting applications in May 2024 to reduce financial barriers to higher education and support students from low-income families. Beneficiaries are expected to repay the loans after graduation and upon gaining employment.

Professor Babalola emphasized that indigent students are not limited to public universities, noting that several students in private institutions also struggle to pay fees. He urged the government to show fairness and reconsider its policy.

“It is insincerity for the federal government to say that students in private universities cannot benefit from NELFUND. We are all Nigerians. Why should there be discrimination? Some students in private universities barely feed once a day. Their parents take loans to send them here, yet they are being denied government support,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor revealed that a total of 1,064 students will graduate during the university’s 20th convocation ceremony. Among them, 143 will graduate with First Class Honours, 394 with Second Class (Upper Division), 221 with Second Class (Lower Division), 69 with Third Class, and 5 with Pass degrees.

He further disclosed that in professional programmes such as Physiotherapy and Nursing Science, 30 students graduated with Distinction, 80 with Credit, and 3 with Pass grades. From the College of Health Sciences, 66 students will receive the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB;BS) degree. In postgraduate programmes, 18 students will receive Postgraduate Diplomas, 26 will earn Master’s degrees, and 9 will be awarded PhDs.

Professor Babalola also highlighted Bowen University’s academic achievements, noting that for six consecutive years, scholars from the institution have been listed among the top 2% of scientists in the world — a recognition jointly compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier.

Additionally, 13 Bowen academics were ranked among the top 500 authors in Nigeria between 2021 and 2025 by SCOPUS/SCiVal, based on their research impact and publication record.

The VC commended the university’s staff for their dedication, mentioning that this year’s convocation would also mark the end of tenure for key officials, including the Registrar, Mr. Babatunde Adeona; the University Librarian, Dr. Aderonke Otunla; and the Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Gideon Akanbi.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund recently announced that over ₦116.4 billion has been disbursed to beneficiaries since the loan application portal was launched in May 2024. According to the agency, more than 929,000 applications have been received, and over 624,000 students have benefited from tuition and upkeep allowances.

Out of the total disbursement, ₦65.3 billion was paid directly to 239 institutions as tuition fees, while ₦51.1 billion was allocated to students for upkeep. The agency confirmed that applications for the 2025/2026 academic session are now open and will close on January 31, 2026.

Education stakeholders continue to advocate for an inclusive loan scheme that supports both public and private university students to promote equal access to higher education across Nigeria.