By Matthew Johnson
ABUJA — 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.
NANS made the call during an engagement with the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro.
The delegation, led by the President of NANS Turkish Zone, Daniel Okpala, discussed the welfare, educational financing and representation of Nigerian students in the diaspora, particularly those studying in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Okpala said the increasing number of Nigerians pursuing higher education abroad required corresponding attention from the government in its education financing policies.
He said Nigerian students studying abroad faced financial pressures arising from tuition fees, accommodation, exchange-rate fluctuations and other educational expenses.
According to him, students should not be excluded from government-backed educational support solely because they are studying outside Nigeria.
NANS called for a review of the existing NELFUND framework to accommodate qualified Nigerians enrolled in accredited foreign institutions.
The association also appealed for stronger diplomatic support to address welfare, administrative and other challenges confronting Nigerian students in the Turkish Zone and the wider diaspora.
The students highlighted the impact of the depreciation of the naira on families financing education abroad, saying exchange-rate pressures had significantly increased the cost of tuition, accommodation and other necessities.
NANS said extending the scheme to eligible students abroad would widen access to education and reduce the financial burden on students and their families.
The association also raised concerns about the level of engagement between Nigerian diplomatic missions and student communities in countries with large Nigerian populations.
It argued that Nigerian students abroad remained an important component of the country’s human-capital development and should be considered in policies aimed at expanding access to education.
The association said the realities facing students overseas should be reflected in national education policies, particularly as more Nigerians seek higher education opportunities in foreign universities.
It urged the Senate to consider an appropriate legislative framework that would enable eligible Nigerian students studying in accredited institutions abroad to benefit from NELFUND.
NELFUND was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, to provide loans to eligible Nigerians for higher education, vocational training and skills acquisition.
NANS pledged to continue engaging lawmakers and relevant government institutions on policies affecting the education, welfare and representation of Nigerian students abroad.
Yaro, according to the statement, expressed willingness to examine the proposal and explore the appropriate legislative process for broadening the reach of NELFUND.
He also acknowledged the need to ensure adequate representation of Nigerians in the diaspora in national policy and legislative discussions.
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