By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
APPLICATIONS FOR the Nigerian Education Loan Fund are dominated by the North, while the South-East accounts for the lowest share, data from the fund shows.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that of 1.67 million submissions recorded since the portal opened on May 24, 2024, applicants from the three northern geopolitical zones constitute 64 per cent of the total, with the South contributing 36 percent.
The South-East alone represents six percent, the smallest among the six zones.
Since the portal’s launch, N183.88bn has been disbursed to students across 265 tertiary institutions as of February 21, 2026. N107.08bn has gone directly to institutions as tuition, and N76.79bn to students as upkeep allowances.
A zone-by-zone breakdown shows the North-West leading with about 417,500 applications, or 25 per cent. The North-East and South-West follow with roughly 349,000 and 351,000 applications each, around 21 per cent per zone.
The North-Central accounts for 18 per cent, South-South nine per cent, and South-East about 100,200 applications.
Recent disbursements dated February 22, 2026, include:
▪️Osun State University, N2.52bn,
▪️Nigerian Army College of Education, Ilorin,
▪️N31.40m; Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri,
▪️N52.36m; Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi,
▪️N58.14m; Federal Polytechnic, Wannune,
▪️N22.65m; Federal College of Education, Katsina,
▪️N11.06m; Akperan Orshi Polytechnic, Yandev,
▪️N16.61m; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gusau,
▪️N9.03m; Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria,
▪️N9.42m; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, N314.12m; and Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, N9.07m respectively.
Distribution of tertiary institutions does not directly align with loan uptake. The South-West has 240 institutions, the North-Central 180, the North-West 150, the South-South 140, the South-East 110, and the North-East 100.
Yet the North-East matches the South-West in applications, both at about 21 percent.
The scheme, established in April 2024 after the signing of the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Act by President Bola Tinubu, offers interest-free loans to expand tertiary education access.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that former University of Ibadan Vice-Chancellor Prof Idowu Olayinka said uptake differences may reflect household income levels, noting NELFUND is intended for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He added that students from wealthier families may not require the loan, while some middle-class students may avoid it due to repayment obligations, particularly if they plan to emigrate after graduation.
UNILORIN professor Gbade Ojo observed that poverty alone may not explain regional disparities, highlighting the North-West’s strong interest in the scheme and cultural or economic factors in the South-East that may influence education pathways.
