The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has postponed the commencement of the loan application process for students in state-owned tertiary institutions in the country.

The application window which was supposed to have opened on Tuesday, June 25, would now commence on July 10, 2024, barring any other unforeseen circumstances.

The latest development was made known via a statement issued by NELFUND spokesperson, Nasir Ayitogo, on Tuesday.

Ayitogo explained that the postponement was due to the poor compliance by some state-owned institutions to submit their students’ data.

He noted: “The management of NELFUND hereby announces a 14-day postponement of the application process for student loan for state institutions due to low data submissions.

“This decision was necessitated by the failure of several state-owned institutions to upload the required student data and fees information to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).

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“To date, only a limited number of state-owned institutions have successfully completed the data submission process. These include 20 state universities out of 48, 12 state colleges out of 54 and two state polytechnics out of 49.

“While we acknowledge the efforts of these institutions, the failure to submit data from the remaining state institutions poses significant challenges to ensuring a seamless and accurate verification process for student loan applicants.

“This extension will provide additional time for state institutions to comply with the data submission requirements and ensure their students can benefit from the Federal Government student loan scheme.

“To facilitate an efficient and error-free application process, it is crucial that all state institutions provide complete and accurate information.

“This includes JAMB numbers, matriculation numbers, admission numbers, full names, level, faculties, departments, duration of program, fees and gender of all eligible students.

“Incomplete or incorrect data submissions will result in application delays and potential disqualification for affected students.

“The fund urges all state institutions to expedite their data submission processes and ensure the accuracy of the information provided. Institutions that fail to meet the revised deadline risk disadvantaging their students, who depend on these loans to support their education.

“The fund appreciates cooperation of institutions that have already completed their submissions and encourage others to follow suit promptly.”

The Star