Atiku Plans NELFUND Review and Debt Forgiveness for Students

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated that if elected president in 2027, he would review the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) policy and implement debt forgiveness for qualifying Nigerian students. This announcement was made by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement released on Tuesday evening.

Shaibu emphasized that Atiku's proposed review aims to alleviate the burden of education loans on students, arguing that reducing education costs should take precedence over loans. He criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's defense of education policies, asserting that celebrating NELFUND as proof of affordability is misguided.

Shaibu described the current approach as "witchcraft economics," where the government increases educational costs and then offers loans as a solution. He maintained that the success of education policy should be measured by families' ability to afford schooling without resorting to borrowing.