The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Turkish Zone, has called on the Senate to expand the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to cover eligible Nigerian students enrolled in accredited institutions outside the country.
The appeal was made during an engagement with the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro. Led by NANS Turkish Zone President Daniel Okpala, the delegation focused on the welfare, educational financing and representation of Nigerian students in the diaspora, particularly those studying in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Okpala noted that the rising number of Nigerians seeking higher education abroad demands matching attention in government education financing policies. He pointed out that students overseas face mounting pressures from tuition fees, accommodation costs, exchange-rate volatility and other related expenses.
“Students should not be shut out of government-backed educational support simply because they are studying outside Nigeria,” Okpala said. The association therefore urged a review of the existing NELFUND framework to include qualified Nigerians in accredited foreign institutions.
NANS also highlighted the heavy impact of the naira’s depreciation on families funding education abroad, noting that currency fluctuations have sharply driven up the cost of tuition, housing and daily necessities. Extending the scheme, the group argued, would broaden access to education and ease the financial strain on both students and their families.
Beyond financing, the association raised concerns about the limited engagement between Nigerian diplomatic missions and student communities in countries with significant Nigerian populations. It stressed that students abroad form a vital part of the nation’s human-capital development and should be factored into policies aimed at expanding educational opportunity.
NELFUND was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, to provide loans for higher education, vocational training and skills acquisition to eligible Nigerians. NANS called for an appropriate legislative framework that would enable qualified students in accredited institutions overseas to benefit from the fund.
The association pledged to sustain engagement with lawmakers and relevant government institutions on issues affecting the education, welfare and representation of Nigerian students abroad.
Senator Yaro, according to the statement, expressed readiness to examine the proposal and explore the legislative pathways for broadening NELFUND’s reach. He also acknowledged the importance of ensuring adequate representation of the Nigerian diaspora in national policy and legislative discussions.
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