The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has revealed that more than one million Nigerian students are now benefiting from a federal student support programme that provides financial relief for education. He spoke on Tuesday during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics programme.

According to Yilwatda, many students in Nigeria struggle to pay their school fees, with some forced to drop out of higher institutions due to financial difficulties. He explained that the NELFUND initiative was created to address this problem by offering student loans that fully cover tuition fees.

Beyond paying school fees, Yilwatda said beneficiaries of the programme also receive a monthly allowance of ₦20,000, even during holidays. He noted that some students use the funds to support their families, invest in small farming activities, or help pay the school fees of their younger siblings back home.

The APC chairman described NELFUND as a strong social protection programme that supports not only students but also households across the country. He added that the initiative is open to all eligible students nationwide and mentioned that other welfare programmes, including health insurance, have also reached millions of Nigerians.