A member of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Umar Faruk-Lawal, has said the Federal Government’s student loan programme is helping to break financial barriers that have long prevented many Nigerians from accessing higher education.

This is as he disclosed that over N206bn has been paid by NELFUND to institutions and students in two years.

Lawal, who represents students on the agency’s board, said the scheme introduced by President Bola Tinubu was already transforming lives by enabling students from low-income backgrounds to pursue tertiary education without the burden of tuition fees and other educational expenses.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Lawal noted that the interest-free loan scheme had boosted access to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, allowing many students to continue their studies despite economic challenges.