The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has increased funding for nursing and midwifery education nearly 14-fold in three academic sessions, rising from N59.4 million in 2023/2024 to N811.9 million in 2025/2026.
The intervention has so far provided more than N1.08 billion in financial support to 5,381 student nurses and midwives across 21 federal and state institutions, strengthening access to professional training and supporting the development of Nigeria’s healthcare workforce.
According to a statement by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, funding rose from N59.4 million in the 2023/2024 academic session to N205.8 million in 2024/2025 before reaching N811.9 million in 2025/2026.
The beneficiaries are drawn from nursing and midwifery institutions across the country, including the Oyo State College of Nursing, Shehu Sule College of Nursing, Lagos State College of Nursing, Ogun State College of Nursing, Katsina State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kebbi State College of Nursing, Cross River State Colleges of Nursing, as well as institutions in Bauchi, Anambra, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking on the intervention, NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, said the Fund was investing in the human capital required to strengthen the country’s future.
“NELFUND is not simply providing financial assistance to students; we are investing in the human capital that Nigeria needs to move forward,” Sawyerr said.
He said every student kept in school represented a future professional and healthcare worker capable of contributing to national development.
Sawyerr said the sharp increase in funding demonstrated what could be achieved when financial barriers were removed for young Nigerians seeking professional education.
“We are particularly encouraged that this intervention is reaching thousands of young women pursuing nursing and midwifery. By supporting their education today, we are opening doors to professional opportunity, economic independence and meaningful participation in Nigeria’s healthcare system,” he said.
The Executive Director, Operations, NELFUND, Mr Mustapha Iyal, said the Fund remained focused on ensuring the seamless and timely delivery of financial support to eligible students.
“Our focus remains on ensuring the seamless and timely delivery of support to eligible students, so that more young Nigerians can obtain the skills and qualifications the country needs,” Iyal said.
Nursing and midwifery are among Nigeria’s most female-dominated health professions, and NELFUND said the majority of beneficiaries under the intervention are young women.
The Fund said the programme therefore represents not only an investment in education but also a pathway to greater economic and professional opportunities for young Nigerian women.
NELFUND said the latest figures reaffirm its broader mandate of ensuring that financial circumstances do not prevent eligible Nigerians from accessing and completing higher education.
With demand for student financing continuing to grow, the Fund said it would continue to expand access while ensuring that its interventions translate into meaningful opportunities for students and the country.
