By Charles Maduka
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced a partnership with Yaba College of Technology aimed at expanding access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), particularly for apprentices and tradesmen in Nigeria’s informal sector.
The agreement was formalised during a stakeholder engagement held at YABATECH on Thursday. The event featured the visit of NELFUND’s Managing Director/CEO, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, who discussed the ongoing rollout of the student loan scheme and explored inclusive funding models for non-traditional learners.
Sawyerr affirmed NELFUND’s commitment to providing financial assistance to all categories of learners, including those outside the conventional university system.
“What YABATECH is doing with its Workplace Learning Centres is exactly the type of model we want to support. If apprentices in places like Computer Village are given structured, certifiable training, NELFUND can provide them with the financial backing to complete that training,” he said.
He stressed that the Fund’s goal is to promote inclusive human capital development by funding not just formal education but also practical and market-driven skills acquisition.
“Education is not limited to lecture halls and degree programs. It includes the acquisition of practical, marketable skills. That’s why we’re exploring how to fund not just university students but also young Nigerians in technical and vocational pathways,” Sawyerr added.
Responding to public concerns about disbursement delays, student refunds, and administrative bottlenecks, Sawyerr acknowledged ongoing challenges but assured stakeholders of NELFUND’s resolve to resolve them.
“Some students who paid their fees early are now due for refunds, but most institutions don’t have a structured refund process or students’ bank account details. It’s a new challenge, and we’re working through it,” he explained.
On a recommendation by the ICPC to channel refunds through a recovery account, he clarified: “There is no recovery here. No one stole money. Refunds should either go to the students directly or be managed through NELFUND. We have to protect the integrity of this process.”
He also confirmed that students who graduated before receiving disbursement would not be penalised.
“Graduation is not a crime. We will disburse to them as long as they applied when eligible. Many planned their finances based on this loan, and we will honor that,” he said.
Sawyerr emphasised that empowering artisans and vocational learners with financing, training, and certification would not only improve individual livelihoods but also spur broader economic transformation.
On his part, the Rector of YABATECH, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, highlighted the institution’s ongoing efforts to formalise apprenticeships through its Workplace Learning Centre in Computer Village, Ikeja.
He noted that many apprentices receive informal training without certification, limiting their earning potential and professional credibility.
“We observed that many apprentices undergo unstructured training and leave without any certification, making them undervalued and underpaid. So we went to where the apprentices are and established a Workplace Learning Centre,” he said.
The centre trains both apprentices and master craftsmen under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), preparing them for national certification. Abdul added that YABATECH is a registered NSQF training provider with qualified assessors and a robust skills delivery framework.
He urged the Federal Government to continue supporting institutions bridging the formal-informal education divide, as YABATECH itself transitions into a degree-awarding university.
“We are proud of our TVET identity. As we move toward becoming a university, we are not abandoning our roots. Rather, we are expanding them,” he stated.
The rector also said that the institution has consolidated all tuition components and sensitised departments to facilitate smooth implementation of the NELFUND loan scheme.
“We’ve streamlined our fee structure and worked with our Accounts and Academic departments to make sure no student is caught off guard,” Abdul concluded.
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