Ministerial directive stalled resumption of recruited NELFUND staff, says Sawyerr

According to him, the recruitment was undertaken in good faith to strengthen the Fund’s capacity in delivering its statutory responsibilities, but the directive from the Minister of Education placed an embargo on employment, preventing the new staff from resuming.

Sawyerr maintained that the agency could not act contrary to the minister’s instruction, stressing that it was bound to comply with the directive.

He added that once the embargo is lifted, the agency intends to contact the affected applicants and proceed with the employment process.

The continued delay has left many of the successful candidates in a difficult position, with some reportedly resigning from previous jobs or making financial and personal commitments after receiving their appointment letters.

NELFUND was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act to provide interest-free loans to eligible students in public tertiary institutions. Since commencing operations in 2024, the agency has disbursed billions of naira in tuition and upkeep loans as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve access to higher education.

The 2025 recruitment exercise was expected to expand the agency’s workforce in response to growing demand for its student loan services and the implementation of its skills acquisition initiatives.

However, with the employment freeze still in place, the successful applicants remain in limbo, awaiting further direction from the Federal Government on when they can officially take up their appointments.