Education
NANS rejects exclusion from NELFUND board, demands student representation
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to disrupt an upcoming board meeting of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) over the exclusion of student representatives.
In a letter addressed to Akintunde Sawyerr, managing director (MD) of NELFUND, Lucky Emonefe, NANS president, said the students are “discontent” about being exempted from the board’s meetings.
He said the association would not stand by watching while critical decisions affecting students’ future are made in their absence.
“As the primary stakeholders and direct beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, it is completely unacceptable that students are sidelined from deliberations that shape the administration and disbursement of student loans,” the letter reads.
“This fund was created for Nigerian students, and we will have a voice in how it is managed.
“We are demanding, not requesting, the immediate inclusion of a student representative in this board meeting.”
The NANS president said failure to accommodate the “legitimate and reasonable demand” would “result in the total shutdown of the meeting venue by Nigerian students”.
“NANS will mobilise en masse to ensure that no meeting holds unless our representation is secured,” he added.
“This is not an appeal; it is a final warning. Nigerian students have exercised patience for too long. We refuse to be spectators in matters that directly affect our education, future, and welfare.
“No student, no meeting. We expect a prompt response addressing this demand without delay.”
The board of the fund is made up of Jim Ovia, chairman; Sawyerr, managing director; Femi Akinfala, executive director for finance and admin; Mustapha Iyal, executive director of operations; and Oluwafunmilayo Alagbada, board secretary and general counsel.
The U.S. Department of State is inviting applications for the 2026 Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program, which offers fully funded opportunities for international students to pursue Master’s degrees in the United States.
The scholarship will cover tuition fees, living expenses, health insurance, and round-trip airfare.
According to DAAD Scholarship, recipients of the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship will enjoy significant financial support throughout their studies.
The scholarship includes:
- Full tuition coverage at an accredited U.S. university
- Monthly living stipend for accommodation and other expenses
- Comprehensive health and accident insurance, and
- Round-trip airfare from the recipient’s home country to the United States
Eligibility requirements for applicants
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must meet several requirements.
- They must be citizens of an eligible country(Nigeria being one of them), with dual citizenship holders of the U.S. being ineligible
- Applicants must have completed at least one undergraduate degree and possess a minimum of two years of work experience after obtaining their undergraduate degree
- For applicants in engineering and physical sciences, their undergraduate degree must align with the proposed Master’s program
Fields of study supported by the fulbright program
The Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program supports Master’s studies in a wide range of disciplines. Eligible fields include, but are not limited to, Arts, Biological Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, Health and Medical Sciences, Humanities, Law, Physical Sciences, Public Administration, and Social Sciences.
This broad scope ensures that students from various academic backgrounds can apply for the scholarship.
Application process and deadline
Interested candidates must complete the online application for the scholarship, available at https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2026. The application package must include a:
- Completed online form
- Two essays (study objectives and personal statement)
- Three letters of recommendation,
- official academic transcripts and degree certificates
- English proficiency test scores, and a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
The deadline for submitting a complete application for the 2026-2027 academic year is April 30th, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials well ahead of the deadline to ensure all required documents are properly submitted.
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