DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

NELFUND saved me, UNILAG student shares drop-out survival story

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • A University of Lagos student, Migwe Obinna Nicholas, shared how the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) saved him from dropping out.
  • Nicholas, studying Theatre Arts and Film Studies, comes from a poor background and lives in his church due to lack of accommodation.
  • He expressed gratitude for NELFUND covering his tuition fees, though monthly stipends have been inconsistent.

Migwe Obinna Nicholas, a 300-level student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has shared a compelling story of how the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) provided a lifeline, preventing him from dropping out of school. Nicholas, who is pursuing a degree in Theatre Arts and Film Studies, highlighted that he is the sole university graduate in his family.

I was thinking about dropping out, but I had to take that loan because I didn’t want to stop.

— Migwe Obinna NicholasUniversity of Lagos student explaining his decision to apply for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

Living in his local church due to a lack of personal accommodation, Nicholas described his challenging circumstances. He moved to Lagos at age eight from Ebonyi State to live with his elder sister. Although his sister provided support for years, he had to leave her home after gaining admission to UNILAG because her husband insisted he abandon his studies to join his business. Nicholas, who performs music under the stage name BMX Royce, aspired to become a music artist, not enter his brother-in-law's accessory sales business.

Nicholas recounted the difficulties he faced with the sharp increase in tuition fees, which led him to consider dropping out. "I was thinking about dropping out, but I had to take that loan because I didn’t want to stop," he stated. He expressed that without the loan, his educational journey would likely have ended.

They paid my school fees, but for the stipend, they paid about three months before they stopped. This session, they’ve paid my school fees again, but I’ve only received one stipend so far.

— Migwe Obinna NicholasUniversity of Lagos student detailing the disbursement of his education loan.

While NELFUND currently covers his tuition fees, Nicholas noted that the monthly upkeep allowance has been inconsistent. Beneficiaries can apply for both tuition support and a monthly stipend of ₦20,000. "They paid my school fees, but for the stipend, they paid about three months before they stopped. This session, they’ve paid my school fees again, but I’ve only received one stipend so far," he explained. Despite the inconsistency in stipend payments, he remains grateful, stating, "I’m not complaining about the stipend. As long as they pay my school fees and I’m able to register my courses, that’s fine."

I’m not complaining about the stipend. As long as they pay my school fees and I’m able to register my courses, that’s fine.

— Migwe Obinna NicholasUniversity of Lagos student expressing his gratitude for tuition coverage despite inconsistent stipend payments.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog