NEFUND Disburses N1.08bn To Support 5,381 Nursing And Midwifery Students
By Iroyin Yoruba Television News Desk
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has disbursed more than N1.08 billion to students studying nursing and midwifery across 21 institutions in Nigeria, marking a substantial expansion of government-backed education financing for students preparing for careers in the country's healthcare system.
The intervention is supporting 5,381 students enrolled in federal and state nursing and midwifery institutions, according to information released by the education financing agency.
The latest disbursement represents a significant increase compared with the amounts provided during the previous two academic sessions and is being presented as part of efforts to prevent financial difficulties from forcing students to abandon professional training.
The programme covers students in nursing and midwifery institutions across several parts of the country, including Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Katsina, Kebbi, Cross River, Bauchi, Anambra, Kaduna, Taraba and Zamfara states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
The development is particularly important because nursing and midwifery are professions that require specialised academic and practical training before graduates can enter professional practice.
Students typically have to meet tuition and institutional charges while also paying for accommodation, transportation, learning materials, uniforms, clinical requirements and other expenses associated with their training.
For families with limited financial resources, those costs can become a major barrier.
NELFUND says its intervention is intended to reduce that barrier and help eligible students complete their education.
Funding Has Increased Sharply
The latest figures show a considerable increase in financial support for nursing and midwifery students over the last three academic sessions.
Funding rose from N59.4 million in 2023/2024 to N205.8 million in 2024/2025, before reaching N811.9 million in 2025/2026 for the latest academic session.
NELFUND's total intervention in the area has now exceeded N1.08 billion and covers 5,381 students in 21 institutions.
The growth indicates that the education loan programme is becoming increasingly significant for students enrolled in healthcare-related programmes.
The increase is also taking place against the background of rising education costs across Nigeria.
Students and families are dealing with higher expenses for transportation, food, accommodation, textbooks and other necessities.
For professional programmes involving significant practical training, the financial burden can be even greater.
Nursing and midwifery students must combine classroom learning with clinical experience, meaning their education involves expenses that extend beyond ordinary classroom requirements.
The expansion of financial support could therefore help more students remain enrolled until graduation.
Why Nursing Education Matters
The importance of the intervention extends beyond the students receiving the money.
Nurses and midwives form a major part of Nigeria's healthcare workforce.
They work in hospitals, clinics, maternity centres, community health facilities and other healthcare settings.
Their responsibilities can include patient care, monitoring, health education, maternal and newborn care, medication administration, disease prevention and support for doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Midwives have a particularly important role in maternal and newborn health.
They support women before, during and after childbirth and can help identify complications that require urgent medical attention.
Expanding the number of properly trained healthcare professionals is therefore directly connected to the country's ability to provide healthcare services.
A student who is able to complete nursing or midwifery training can eventually become part of the workforce serving patients in Nigeria or, subject to applicable professional requirements, pursue opportunities internationally.
That makes investment in professional education a form of human-capital development.
Financial Difficulties Can Interrupt Professional Training
One of the problems faced by students in professional programmes is that financial pressure can accumulate over time.
A student may begin a programme with sufficient resources but later experience difficulties because of changing household income, inflation or unexpected expenses.
When that happens, students can struggle to pay institutional charges or meet other educational costs.
Some may defer their studies.
Others may seek informal employment that interferes with their academic work.
In the worst cases, financial pressure can result in students abandoning their programmes completely.
NELFUND's intervention is designed to reduce the likelihood of such situations.
The agency's Managing Director and Chief Executive, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the programme was not simply about providing financial assistance but about investing in the human capital Nigeria needs for its future.
That position reflects the broader economic argument behind education financing.
Money spent helping a student complete a professional programme can eventually translate into a trained worker contributing to the economy.
5,381 Students Across 21 Institutions
The scale of the current intervention is also notable.
Rather than being concentrated in one institution or one part of the country, the funding covers students in 21 nursing and midwifery institutions.
Beneficiaries are spread across different geopolitical areas.
The states identified among the beneficiaries include Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Katsina, Kebbi, Cross River, Bauchi, Anambra, Kaduna, Taraba and Zamfara, together with the Federal Capital Territory.
The geographical distribution means the programme is reaching students from different parts of Nigeria.
It also reflects the importance of developing healthcare professionals beyond major urban centres.
Nigeria's healthcare needs are not limited to Lagos, Abuja or other large cities.
Rural communities and smaller towns also require nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals.
Training students from different regions can therefore help build a more geographically diverse healthcare workforce.
The Role Of Nursing Schools
Nursing and midwifery education requires institutions with appropriate academic and clinical facilities.
Students need classrooms, laboratories, simulation facilities and access to clinical environments where they can develop practical skills.
The quality of these institutions is therefore important to the success of the education financing programme.
Financial support can help students remain in school, but institutions must also have the capacity to provide quality education.
This means adequate teaching staff, appropriate equipment and access to clinical training.
Professional education cannot be reduced to classroom instruction.
Students must develop practical competencies before entering the workforce.
The expansion of student financing should therefore ideally be accompanied by continued investment in nursing and midwifery institutions themselves.
Majority Of Beneficiaries Are Young Women
NELFUND said the majority of beneficiaries under the nursing and midwifery intervention are young women.
This has implications beyond education.
Women make up a significant proportion of the nursing and midwifery workforce.
Supporting their professional education can increase their opportunities for formal employment and professional advancement.
Sawyerr said the funding could help beneficiaries continue their studies despite financial difficulties while also improving access to professional opportunities and economic independence.
For young women from low- and middle-income households, professional education can have long-term effects.
A completed qualification can increase employment opportunities and earning potential.
It can also enable graduates to contribute financially to their families and communities.
In this sense, education financing can have effects that extend beyond the individual student.
Nursing As A Career Path
Nursing has traditionally been viewed as one of the professions with relatively strong employment opportunities in healthcare.
However, becoming a qualified nurse requires several stages of education, practical training and professional requirements.
Students must therefore be able to remain in education long enough to complete those stages.
Financial support can make a difference.
A student who might otherwise have withdrawn because of unpaid fees or living expenses may be able to remain in school.
That increases the probability that the country will eventually gain another trained healthcare professional.
For Nigeria, which continues to require healthcare workers across different levels of the health system, increasing the number of qualified professionals can be strategically important.
Midwifery And Maternal Healthcare
Midwifery deserves particular attention because of its relationship with maternal and newborn care.
Midwives can play a vital role in antenatal care, childbirth and postnatal support.
They can also help women recognise warning signs during pregnancy and childbirth.
In communities where access to doctors and specialist medical facilities is limited, trained midwives can be an important part of the healthcare system.
Supporting the education of midwives therefore has potential implications for healthcare delivery at community level.
The quality of training remains critical.
Graduates must be adequately prepared to recognise complications and work within professional guidelines.
But before a student can reach that stage, the student must first be able to complete the education programme.
That is where financial assistance can become significant.
Education Loans And Human Capital
NELFUND's intervention illustrates a broader economic principle: education can be treated as an investment in human capital.
Human capital refers to the knowledge, skills and capabilities people acquire through education and training.
A country with a skilled workforce is better positioned to operate complex industries, provide professional services and adapt to technological change.
Healthcare is one of the clearest examples.
Hospitals require doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, radiographers, technicians, administrators and many other professionals.
Training these workers requires years of education.
The cost of that education can be substantial.
Education financing can therefore help expand the pool of people able to enter these professions.
The Difference Between Access And Completion
One challenge in education policy is that getting students into school is only the first step.
Students must also be able to complete their programmes.
A student may gain admission but later withdraw because of financial difficulties.
This means that policies focused only on admission numbers may not fully address the problem.
Financial support that helps students remain enrolled can be just as important as expanding admission opportunities.
NELFUND's intervention is therefore significant because it addresses part of the completion challenge.
The objective is not simply to help students enter nursing or midwifery programmes.
It is to help them continue until they are able to complete their training.
Rising Cost Of Living
The intervention also comes amid a wider cost-of-living challenge.
Students face expenses beyond tuition or institutional charges.
Transportation costs have risen.
Food costs have increased.
Accommodation can be expensive, particularly for students studying outside their home communities.
Learning materials and professional equipment can also add to the financial burden.
For nursing students, additional requirements associated with clinical training may create further costs.
Uniforms, footwear, textbooks, transportation to clinical facilities and other items can all add up.
Families supporting students therefore face multiple financial obligations.
A loan or other form of education financing can help spread or reduce the immediate burden.
Support For Students From Different States
The geographical spread of the programme also means that students from different socioeconomic backgrounds can potentially benefit.
Nigeria has significant differences in household income across regions.
A student from a low-income family may face very different financial circumstances from another student whose parents can comfortably fund professional education.
Education financing can help reduce some of those differences.
It does not eliminate inequality, but it can make it less likely that financial circumstances alone determine whether a qualified student completes a programme.
This is especially important for professional fields where the country needs more trained personnel.
What The Funding Means For Families
For families, education financing can provide relief.
Parents or guardians who might otherwise have to meet the full cost of a student's education may be able to redirect some resources towards accommodation, food or other household needs.
For families supporting more than one child in school, such assistance can be particularly significant.
Education expenses can become difficult when several children are studying simultaneously.
The availability of structured student financing may therefore change how families plan for education.
However, students and families must also understand the terms and obligations associated with any loan-based funding.
Education loans are different from grants.
Depending on the specific programme and applicable rules, beneficiaries may have repayment responsibilities.
Students should therefore understand the conditions attached to their support.
Timely Disbursement Is Important
The Executive Director of Operations at NELFUND, Mustapha Iyal, said the Fund would continue working to provide financial support to eligible students in a timely manner.
Timeliness matters because education expenses often have deadlines.
If students receive financial support only after registration or payment deadlines have passed, they may still face disruption.
Delayed funding can also create uncertainty for institutions and students.
Efficient application processing and disbursement can therefore improve the effectiveness of the programme.
Students need clarity about whether they have been approved, when funds will arrive and what costs the support is intended to cover.
The Importance Of Institutional Coverage
The programme's coverage of both federal and state nursing and midwifery institutions is also significant.
Nigeria's professional education system includes institutions operated at different levels of government.
A financing scheme that covers only one category could leave many eligible students outside the programme.
Extending support across federal and state institutions can create a wider pool of potential beneficiaries.
It also recognises that healthcare professionals are trained through different institutional pathways.
The ultimate objective is to produce competent professionals rather than simply support a particular type of institution.
Potential Impact On Nigeria's Healthcare System
If students supported by the programme successfully complete their education and enter professional practice, the intervention could eventually contribute to the healthcare workforce.
The effect will not be immediate.
Students currently receiving funding still have to complete their studies and meet professional requirements.
But education investments operate over time.
Today's student can become tomorrow's nurse or midwife.
A group of 5,381 supported students therefore represents potential future additions to Nigeria's professional healthcare workforce.
The actual impact will depend on graduation, professional registration, employment and retention.
But the scale of the current funding suggests that education financing is becoming a meaningful component of the government's approach to developing healthcare human capital.
The Problem Of Healthcare Worker Migration
Nigeria also faces the complicated issue of healthcare professionals seeking employment outside the country.
Nigerian-trained nurses and other healthcare professionals are in demand internationally.
Migration can provide individuals with better salaries and career opportunities.
However, large-scale migration can create staffing pressures within Nigeria.
This means that increasing the number of trained professionals is only one part of the healthcare workforce challenge.
Nigeria must also consider working conditions, remuneration, professional development and opportunities for career progression.
If the country trains more nurses but loses large numbers of them to international migration, the domestic benefit may be reduced.
Education financing should therefore ideally be accompanied by broader policies that make professional practice sustainable within Nigeria.
Why Training Quality Matters
Increasing the number of students is not enough.
The quality of training must remain a priority.
Healthcare workers make decisions that can affect people's lives.
Nurses and midwives therefore need strong theoretical knowledge, practical competence, ethical training and the ability to work effectively with patients and other healthcare professionals.
Institutions must maintain appropriate standards.
Clinical placements must provide meaningful experience.
Students must be supervised adequately.
Professional regulatory bodies also have an important role in maintaining standards.
Education funding should therefore support access without weakening quality.
The objective should be more qualified professionals, not simply more graduates.
NELFUND's Wider Education Role
The nursing and midwifery intervention is part of NELFUND's broader mandate to support eligible Nigerians who might otherwise struggle to finance higher education.
The agency has increasingly become an important component of the government's approach to student financing.
Its interventions are intended to reduce financial barriers that prevent students from accessing or completing higher education.
The latest nursing and midwifery figures demonstrate how the programme can be targeted towards areas considered strategically important to the country.
Healthcare is one such area because skilled professionals are required throughout the national health system.
Supporting Women In Professional Education
The large number of female beneficiaries also raises the issue of women's participation in professional education.
Women represent a major part of Nigeria's healthcare workforce.
Providing financial support can help young women remain in education and acquire professional qualifications.
Economic independence can follow from stable employment.
For some beneficiaries, professional training may also provide an opportunity to become the first member of their family to enter a particular profession.
That can have longer-term effects on families.
A qualified nurse or midwife may eventually support younger siblings or contribute to household income.
Professional education can therefore have intergenerational benefits.
The Role Of State Governments
State governments also have an important role in ensuring that nursing and midwifery institutions have the infrastructure required to train students effectively.
While NELFUND provides financial assistance to eligible students, states operating institutions must maintain facilities and support teaching and clinical training.
The two levels of intervention need to complement one another.
Student funding without adequate facilities can limit the quality of education.
Likewise, modern facilities are less useful if financially disadvantaged students are unable to remain enrolled.
A combination of student support and institutional investment is therefore necessary.
Opportunities Beyond Nigeria
Nursing and midwifery qualifications can also create international opportunities for graduates.
Several countries have demand for healthcare workers.
However, graduates seeking to practise abroad normally have to meet the professional registration, examination and immigration requirements of the destination country.
The possibility of international employment can make healthcare education attractive to young Nigerians.
But from a national policy perspective, Nigeria must also ensure that its own health system retains enough professionals.
That means building a healthcare environment in which qualified workers can develop careers within Nigeria.
Education As An Economic Investment
The N1.08 billion intervention should also be viewed through the lens of economic development.
Healthcare workers contribute to the economy not only through their salaries but through the services they provide.
A healthy population is generally better able to work and participate in economic activity.
Healthcare workers also support other sectors by providing medical services to employees and communities.
Investment in healthcare education can therefore have economic effects beyond hospitals.
The education of nurses and midwives creates a pipeline of professionals who can support public hospitals, private clinics, community health programmes and other health institutions.
The Importance Of Rural Healthcare
One potential long-term benefit is the possibility of strengthening healthcare delivery outside major cities.
Many rural communities face shortages of healthcare professionals.
Training students from different regions can increase the pool of professionals available to serve those communities.
However, where graduates eventually work will depend on employment opportunities and other factors.
Government may therefore need targeted incentives to encourage healthcare workers to practise in underserved areas.
These could include improved accommodation, professional development opportunities and better working conditions.
From Student Support To Professional Practice
The journey from receiving education funding to becoming a practising professional involves several stages.
Students must complete their academic programmes.
They must complete required clinical training.
They must satisfy relevant professional standards.
They must obtain appropriate registration or licensing.
They then need employment or opportunities for further professional development.
NELFUND's intervention addresses one part of this journey: financing education.
Other institutions and government agencies have responsibilities at later stages.
The ultimate goal should be a coordinated system that supports students through graduation and into productive professional careers.
Why The Increase In Funding Is Significant
The progression from N59.4 million to N205.8 million and then N811.9 million shows how rapidly the intervention has expanded.
The latest amount alone is more than the combined funding provided in the two earlier academic sessions.
That scale of growth suggests increasing demand for education financing and greater institutional capacity to provide it.
It also indicates that nursing and midwifery students are becoming a significant beneficiary group within the national student financing system.
If properly managed, the expansion could help thousands of students remain in professional training.
The Need For Accountability
As education financing expands, accountability will be important.
Students need confidence that applications are processed fairly.
Institutions need clarity about eligibility and payment procedures.
Government needs reliable information about how much money has been disbursed and how many students have benefited.
The public also needs assurance that funds allocated for education are being used for their intended purpose.
Transparent reporting can strengthen confidence in the programme.
It can also help policymakers identify which aspects of the system are working and where improvements are required.
Reaching More Students
The current figure of 5,381 beneficiaries is substantial, but Nigeria has a large population of students seeking professional education.
Demand for nursing and midwifery training is likely to remain strong.
The challenge will be maintaining sustainable funding while ensuring that assistance reaches students who genuinely need it and meet programme requirements.
Expanding coverage without adequate financing could create expectations that the system cannot meet.
A sustainable approach will require careful budgeting and efficient administration.
The Bigger Education Financing Question
Nigeria's education financing challenge extends beyond nursing.
Students across medicine, engineering, law, agriculture, education, technology and other disciplines also face financial difficulties.
The experience of the nursing and midwifery programme could therefore provide lessons for broader student financing.
A successful system should make it possible for capable students to pursue higher education without their family income becoming an automatic barrier.
At the same time, the system must remain financially sustainable.
That balance will be important as Nigeria's student financing programme expands.
Building Nigeria's Professional Workforce
The country's future workforce will be shaped partly by today's students.
Nigeria needs professionals capable of supporting healthcare, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and public services.
Nursing and midwifery represent one part of that workforce.
The NELFUND intervention shows how targeted financing can help support training in areas where professional capacity is important.
The benefits may take years to fully emerge.
But human-capital development is inherently a long-term process.
What Beneficiaries Should Understand
Students benefiting from the programme should also recognise that financial assistance comes with responsibilities.
They need to remain committed to their studies.
They must meet academic and professional requirements.
They should understand the terms governing their funding.
They must also prepare for the realities of professional practice.
For nursing and midwifery students, that means developing not only technical knowledge but also communication skills, professionalism, empathy and the ability to work under pressure.
Financial support can open the door, but students must still complete the journey.
Looking Ahead
The expansion of NELFUND funding for nursing and midwifery students provides an opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals.
The immediate benefit is financial.
Students who might otherwise struggle to pay education-related costs receive support that can help them remain in their programmes.
The potential long-term benefit is human capital.
Thousands of students may eventually graduate and enter the healthcare workforce.
For the country, that could contribute to improved staffing capacity across hospitals, clinics and community health facilities.
But the success of the intervention will ultimately depend on what happens after the money is disbursed.
Students must graduate.
Institutions must maintain quality.
Professional bodies must ensure standards.
Healthcare employers must provide opportunities.
And government must address the broader conditions that influence whether trained professionals remain in Nigeria.
Conclusion
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has disbursed more than N1.08 billion to 5,381 nursing and midwifery students across 21 institutions, providing expanded financial support to young Nigerians pursuing careers in healthcare.
The intervention represents a major increase from the N59.4 million provided during the 2023/2024 academic session and N205.8 million during 2024/2025, with funding reaching N811.9 million in 2025/2026.
Students benefiting from the programme are spread across several states and the Federal Capital Territory, giving the intervention a broad geographical reach.
The importance of the programme goes beyond helping students pay education-related expenses.
Nursing and midwifery are essential components of the healthcare system, and every student who successfully completes professional training represents potential additional capacity for hospitals, clinics, maternity facilities and community healthcare services.
For students and their families, the funding can reduce some of the financial pressure associated with professional education.
For young women, who make up the majority of beneficiaries according to NELFUND, the intervention may also create opportunities for professional development and greater economic independence.
For Nigeria, the larger issue is human-capital development.
A country cannot build a strong healthcare system without investing in the people who will provide healthcare services.
That investment begins with education.
However, education financing must be matched by quality training, adequate facilities, clinical experience and professional standards.
The country must also address the conditions that influence whether trained healthcare professionals remain available to serve Nigerian communities.
The expansion of NELFUND's nursing and midwifery intervention is therefore an important development, but it should be viewed as one component of a much larger healthcare workforce strategy.
The immediate task is to ensure that the funding reaches eligible students efficiently and on time.
The next task is to ensure that beneficiaries successfully complete their programmes.
The longer-term objective is to see those graduates become competent professionals contributing to Nigeria's healthcare system.
If that chain is maintained, the more than N1.08 billion invested in the current intervention could produce benefits extending well beyond the students receiving the funding today.
It could help create nurses and midwives who will serve patients, support families, strengthen hospitals and contribute to the country's health workforce for many years.
For the beneficiaries, the funding offers an opportunity to continue their education.
For their families, it can reduce some of the immediate financial pressure associated with professional training.
And for Nigeria, it represents an investment in a workforce that will be essential to the country's healthcare and economic future.
By Iroyin Yoruba Television News Desk