Atiku Vows to Review NELFUND, Offer Debt Forgiveness to Qualifying Students

 Atiku Vows to Review NELFUND, Offer Debt Forgiveness to Qualifying Students

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to review the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) policy and introduce debt forgiveness for qualifying student borrowers if elected president in 2027. 

Atiku’s position was disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

According to Shaibu, Atiku believes Nigerian students should not be forced to begin their working lives burdened by education-related debt. He said a proposed Atiku administration would focus on reducing the underlying cost of education, while reviewing the existing student-loan framework and providing debt forgiveness for students who meet the required conditions. 

The statement came in response to recent comments by President Bola Tinubu defending NELFUND and its role in supporting students amid rising education costs.

Atiku's camp argued that the availability of student loans should not, by itself, be presented as evidence that education has become affordable. Shaibu maintained that the real measure of an effective education policy should be whether ordinary Nigerian families can afford to educate their children without being pushed into debt. 

The former vice president's proposed approach would therefore seek to address both sides of the issue: lowering the cost of education and reviewing existing student debt, rather than relying solely on loans to meet rising educational expenses.

Shaibu also argued that reducing energy and transportation costs would ease financial pressure on students and families, allowing incomes to stretch further.

The proposal comes ahead of the 2027 general election, placing student financing and the affordability of higher education among the issues likely to feature prominently in the political debate.

For students who have benefited from NELFUND or may rely on student loans in the future, the proposed review and debt-forgiveness plan could have significant implications—**if Atiku is elected and the policy is subsequently implemented.**