The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has recently issued a stern public warning about a fraudulent student-loan portal posing as its official application site. The warning comes amid the government’s push to expand financial access for students—making the alert both timely and urgent.
📢 What NELFUND Said
In a statement on Saturday, NELFUND’s Director of Corporate Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, cautioned students to only use its official portal: www.nelf.gov.ng. The Fund emphasized that any other links or websites claiming to offer access to the student-loan scheme are unauthorized and fraudulent.
Key highlights from the alert:
- Beware of fake websites and links, especially circulating on social media and messaging apps.
- Since its formation in April 2024, NELFUND has been the official body empowered by the Student Loans Act to disburse loans responsibly.
- To avoid fraud, NELFUND reiterates: only apply via www.nelf.gov.ng or its verified social media channels.
📈 Why This Matters
- Surge in applications: NELFUND disbursed over ₦22 billion to more than 215,000 students by February 2025 (en.wikipedia.org). Such large-scale operations draw increased attention from fraudsters.
- Risk of personal data theft: Fake portals often capture sensitive student information—such as BVN, passport details, and contact info—for malicious use.
- Disruption and misinformation: Scams can delay or block legitimate applications, harming students relying on timely funding.
🛡️ Safety Tips for Students
- Always check the URL—the genuine site is www.nelf.gov.ng, not any variant.
- Ignore unsolicited messages—any link from unknown sources should be treated as suspicious.
- Follow official channels on social media and NELFUND’s website for news and updates.
- Report suspicious sites to NELFUND or cybercrime units immediately.
📝 About NELFUND
Founded in April 2024 under the Student Loans Act, NELFUND supports eligible Nigerians pursuing tertiary or vocational education (tribuneonlineng.com, en.wikipedia.org). Recent disbursements include:
- ₦2.94 billion to 19 institutions for 27,667 students in August 2024
- ₦22.7 billion to 215,514 students by February 2025
🧭 What’s Next
- Students should reconfirm any suspicious portals or messages before providing data.
- NELFUND may enhance its public awareness efforts, including more frequent warnings and secured links.
- Authorities might consider collaborating with cybercrime units to dismantle these fake websites and prosecute offenders.
As NELFUND scales up its loan disbursement drive, scammers are exploiting the opportunity by creating fake portals. Students and their guardians must remain alert—only trust www.nelf.gov.ng and official NELFUND channels to avoid falling prey to fraud.
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