…Says cloned portal falsely linked to President Tinubu directives
…Urges students to use only official platform for applications
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has issued a public warning to students and members of the public regarding a fraudulent website falsely claiming to offer Federal Government-backed student loans.
In a statement released on Monday, 30 June, and signed by the Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, the Fund described the platform as “fake, false and misleading.”
According to Oluwatuyi, the bogus website “nelfund-student-loan-2025.po-rt-al.com/NELFUND” has no connection with the Fund and should not be trusted for any student loan-related transactions.
She emphasised that the only authorised application portal is www.nelf.gov.ng and cautioned students against submitting personal details on illegitimate sites.
Applicants were encouraged to rely exclusively on NELFUND’s verified social media channels, @nelfund on X and Instagram, and Nigerian Education Loan Fund – NELFUND on Facebook and LinkedIn, for accurate information.
She also advised that any suspicious links or messages be reported directly to info@nelf.gov.ng.
Since the launch of the official loan portal on Tuesday, 25 June, over 1.2 million students in public tertiary institutions have accessed the site to initiate their loan applications.
The rapid surge in traffic has reportedly attracted cybercriminals, who are now using cloned portals to collect sensitive personal data, including bank account details, BVNs, emails, and passwords.
Cybersecurity experts warn that phishing attacks often accompany widely publicised government initiatives, particularly those involving financial support or mass data submissions.
Reiterating NELFUND’s commitment to integrity and security, Oluwatuyi assured the public that all updates will be disseminated exclusively through official and verifiable platforms.
The student loan scheme, established under the Student Loan Act of 2023, provides zero-interest loans to eligible students enrolled in Nigerian public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.