The Presidency, on Wednesday, said it will announce a later date for the commencement of the student loan scheme.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
“There will be a new date to launch the student loan scheme. It’s not forgotten,” Onanuga said.
Onanuga was responding to the postponement of the planned launch of the Fund, which was initially scheduled for Thursday, March 14, explaining that the programme had not been forgotten.
Giving reasons for the delay, he said, “There are some things that need to be rearranged so that it can be launched properly. That’s what’s happening.
“So the President is committed to it. You know it’s one of his flagship programmes and he wants to get it done as quickly as possible.”
Speaking on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, announced that Tinubu will launch the Student Loan Scheme on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
He proposed N50bn for its take-off in the 2024 budget he presented to the National Assembly last November.
On February 7, Sawyerr exclusively confirmed to our correspondent that the much-awaited scheme would go live on February 21, when President Tinubu launched it at the State House, Abuja.
However, the launch was delayed, with Sawyerr, alongside Presidency sources, explaining that the lag time is to enable the Fund to expand its mandate to include students seeking loans for skills development, as directed by the President.
After receiving a briefing from the NELFUND team led by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, on January 22, the President directed the Fund to extend interest-free loans to Nigerian students interested in skill-development programmes.
Tinubu based his decision on the need for the scheme to accommodate those who may not want to pursue a university education, noting that skill acquisition is as essential as obtaining undergraduate and graduate academic qualifications.
“This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas. This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation.
“In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFUND to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education,” he said.
