Student Loan: NELFUND expands scheme to vocational skills centres

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the expansion of its loan programme to some vocational skills centres across the country.

Executive Director of Operations at NELFUND, Iyal Mustapha, stated this during a sensitisation campaign in Enugu on Friday.

The sensitisation tour included visits by the NELFUND management to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu College of Education Technical, a technical school, and the MSME Clinics Fashion and Garment Hub in Enugu.

Speaking, Mustapha said NELFUND aims to support vocational training through loans, helping individuals access technical education at various skill centres, including fashion design and other trades.

According to him, Enugu is one of the first states where this initiative will begin.

The plan, Mustapha said, includes covering training costs, providing upkeep support, and supplying tools after training.

He said the exact amount for upkeep is still being finalised, and institutional charges related to transport will be part of the loan.

He also noted that NELFUND has expanded this initiative to over 10 states, with Enugu being a standout.

Speaking when the delegation visited the MSME Clinics Fashion and Garment Hub in Enugu, he said, “What I see, there’s a lot of positivity with what we see. We have seen different skill centres, from the technical colleges side and from the vocational skill centres, like the fashion design and all.

“It’s very positive for us at NELFUND, and Enugu will be one of our first states, one of the first states we’re going to start. I will not say that Enugu will be the only state, but one of the first states to start with. So, one of our mandates is to support vocational skills.

“Supporting vocational skills in a way is we are going to open our portal up for people to apply for vocational skills. And we are going to have these centres in place to say, if you apply from Enugu, this is where to go in Enugu.

“So, the support is we are going to pay for their training costs, and we are going to be giving them upkeep at the end of the day. And they will have some working tools when they finish their training.

“So, the upkeep for the vocational skills, we are still trying to complete that into our guideline. I will not say this is how much per se, but for the training costs, it’s based on what the centre is proposing. That’s what we are paying. But the institutional charges are going to be part of the loan. Why? Because it’s to support them with the transport coming to this skill centre.

“So, presently we have other states; I think almost more than 10 states that we have seen such. But then Enugu is one of the best, let me just put it that way. And, you know, it’s a work in progress, and the country is always evolving. And the government is seeing the value in skills and vocational just to support the community,” he added.

Also speaking, Special Adviser to the Governor of Enugu state on Digital Economy and SME Development and Director General, Enugu SME Center, Arinze Chilo-Offiah, said the state is ready to absorb all the support from NELFUND.

He said NELFUND will be able to provide the centre with zero-interest loans for training in fashion, noting that the hub has about 150 industrial sewing machines and world-class monogramming machines.

“We can seat at any given point in time, 300 plus or closer to 500. This is just the fashion hub.”

Mrs Patricia Nwanneka, Acting Registrar of IMT, said that by educating students more on the procedures and benefits, more would turn up to apply for the loan.

“My perception is that I like it, the loan is good. At least now that they have gotten more knowledge. And even after you people have left, we will go on to educate more of them, inculcating them into applying for the loan.”

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