The Lagos State College of Nursing, Igando (LASCON), has formally acknowledged receiving over ₦49 million in student loan funds from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to support nursing students in the 2025/2026 academic session.
The confirmation came through an official letter dated March 12, 2026, signed by the institution’s Provost, Dr. Ogunmuyiwa Ayodeji O., and addressed to the Managing Director and CEO of NELFUND at its Abuja headquarters. The letter described the receipt as an honour and expressed appreciation for the fund’s support of students under the national Student Loan Program.
Funds Released in Three Batches Across Early 2026
The total disbursement of ₦49,424,000 arrived in three separate tranches between January and February 2026.
The first and largest tranche came on January 19, 2026, totalling ₦27,574,000 for 78 students. LASCON disbursed these funds to the beneficiaries on February 6, 2026. The second tranche followed on February 3, 2026, amounting to ₦6,845,500 for 21 students, with disbursement completed on March 4, 2026. The third tranche, received on February 18, 2026, covered 45 students and amounted to ₦15,004,500, also disbursed on March 4, 2026.
Across all three tranches, a combined total of 144 students benefited. The funds are earmarked for tuition and statutory charges, meaning students can progress through their academic programmes without the disruption of outstanding fee obligations.
NELFUND Scales Up Disbursements Nationwide
The LASCON payment is one piece of a much larger national picture. By February 6, 2026, NELFUND had crossed a major milestone, having released over ₦183.8 billion to students across the country since the loan portal launched in May 2024. Close to one million students had received support at that point, through a combination of institutional fee payments sent directly to schools and personal upkeep allowances credited to individual student bank accounts.
Other institutions have received substantial allocations in the same period. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, confirmed a disbursement of over ₦309 million covering more than 1,000 students, while Delta State University, Abraka, received nearly ₦400 million in loan funding around the same time.
NELFUND was created under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act 2023, which was amended in 2024 to refine eligibility criteria and repayment conditions. The fund targets students enrolled in public tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and vocational schools across Nigeria.
A Timely Boost for Healthcare Training in Lagos
Founded in 1965 and elevated to college status in 2018, LASCON Igando holds accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). It trains students for careers as Registered Nurses, Registered Midwives, and Public Health Nurses, making it a critical pipeline for healthcare manpower in Lagos State and beyond.
Nursing education demands sustained financial commitment over several years. For students from low-income households, unpaid tuition has historically been one of the leading causes of academic interruption or withdrawal. The NELFUND intervention directly addresses this gap, giving eligible students a structured path to complete their training without the weight of immediate financial pressure.
With the federal government continuing to scale up the scheme through its Renewed Hope Agenda, more nursing and healthcare students across Nigeria’s public institutions are expected to access loan support in the coming academic cycles.
Students and institutions seeking information on applications or disbursement status can visit NELFUND’s official portal at nelf.gov.ng