By Babs Oyetoro
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Turkish Zone, has urged the Senate to expand the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to cover eligible Nigerian students studying in accredited institutions outside the country.
The demand was made during an engagement with the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro.
In a statement on Tuesday, the General Secretary of NANS, Divine Odunze, said the meeting was led by the Turkish Zone President of the association, Daniel Okpala.
Other members included the Principal Secretary, Queen Macbay; Media Director, David Enisan; and Chief Adviser to the Committee, Praise Ebuzome.
The statement noted that the meeting focused on the welfare, educational financing and representation of Nigerian students in the diaspora, particularly those studying in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
The students told the senator that the increasing number of Nigerians pursuing higher education abroad required corresponding attention from the government in its education financing policies.
They particularly sought a review of the existing NELFUND framework to accommodate qualified Nigerians enrolled in accredited foreign institutions.
NANS said students studying abroad face substantial financial pressures from tuition, accommodation, exchange-rate fluctuations and other education-related expenses.
The association argued that Nigerian students should not lose access to government-backed educational support simply because they are pursuing their studies outside the country.
NELFUND was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Act, 2024, to provide loans to eligible Nigerians for higher education, vocational training and skills acquisition.
NANS therefore called for legislative consideration of a framework that would allow eligible Nigerian students abroad to access the scheme.
The association described the proposed expansion as “a significant step towards expanding educational opportunities and reducing the financial barriers faced by Nigerian students studying abroad.”
Yaro, according to the statement, expressed willingness to examine the proposal and explore the appropriate legislative process for broadening the reach of NELFUND.
The senator also acknowledged the importance of ensuring that Nigerians in the diaspora are adequately represented in national policy and legislative discussions.
The delegation further raised concerns about the level of engagement between Nigerian diplomatic missions and student communities in countries with large Nigerian populations.
NANS called for stronger diplomatic support to address welfare, administrative and other challenges affecting Nigerian students in the Turkish Zone and wider diaspora.
The students also highlighted the effect of the naira’s depreciation on families financing education abroad, saying the exchange-rate situation had significantly increased the cost of tuition, accommodation and other necessities.
They stressed that Nigerian students abroad remained part of the country’s human-capital development and should be considered in policies designed to strengthen access to education.
The delegation argued that the realities facing students overseas should be reflected in national education policies, particularly as more Nigerians seek opportunities in foreign universities.
NANS said the proposed NELFUND expansion would help ease the financial burden on students and their families while making government-backed education financing more inclusive.
The engagement, according to the Turkish Zone leadership, formed part of its broader effort to take the concerns of Nigerian students abroad directly to policymakers.
The association pledged to sustain engagement with lawmakers and relevant government institutions on policies affecting the education, welfare and representation of Nigerian students outside the country.
It expressed optimism that the NELFUND proposal would receive legislative consideration and eventually create a framework capable of supporting eligible Nigerian students studying in accredited institutions abroad.
