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- Student loan applications surged across Nigeria in September 2025, with Borno State topping the chart at over 61,000 submissions
- Northern states dominated the rankings, reflecting a growing demand for tertiary education support in the region
- Southern states like Oyo and Lagos also made the top 12, signalling nationwide interest in academic financing
In September 2025, Borno State emerged as the frontrunner in student loan applications, recording a total of 61,381 submissions, according to newly released figures.
The data highlighted a significant uptake in tertiary education financing across northern Nigeria, with Kano (57,983) and Kaduna (45,000) following closely behind.
Source: Twitter
The surge in applications was seen as a reflection of growing demand for higher education support, particularly in regions historically underserved by financial aid programmes.
Analysts noted that the figures underscored a shifting landscape in educational access, with northern states dominating the top half of the list.
Northern states dominate student loan rankings
Katsina ranked fourth with 43,602 applications, while Bauchi secured fifth place with 33,026. Gombe (31,308), Plateau (31,313), and Kwara (31,640) also featured prominently, reinforcing the trend of northern dominance in the student loan space.
Education advocates suggested that the spike in applications could be linked to increased awareness campaigns and policy reforms aimed at expanding access to tertiary education.
“The numbers show that students are responding to opportunities that were previously out of reach,” one observer noted.
Southern states show steady uptake in student loan demand
While northern states led the charge, southern states also made notable appearances in the top 12. Oyo recorded 33,223 applications, placing sixth overall. Ekiti and Taraba followed with 26,451 and 26,505 applications respectively, while Lagos rounded out the list with 26,063.
The inclusion of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, was seen as a sign of growing interest in student financing even in urban centres where private education options are more prevalent. Experts said the figures could indicate a broader shift toward public funding mechanisms for education.
Implications for education policy and access
The September 2025 data has sparked discussions among policymakers and education stakeholders about the future of student loan schemes in Nigeria. With over half a million applications recorded across the top 12 states alone, the demand for financial support in higher education appears to be reaching unprecedented levels.
“The numbers show that students are responding to opportunities that were previously out of reach,” one observer noted.
As the government continues to refine its student loan framework, the latest figures may serve as a benchmark for future expansion and targeted interventions, particularly in regions with high application volumes.
NELFUND announces update to ease student loan
Legit.Nig earlier reported that following recent issues with student loan applications, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced updates to ease the loan application process and prevent fraud by stakeholders.
NELFUND revealed plans to deploy IT teams to linked institutions across Nigeria and integrate ‘Student Loan’ directly as a payment option on their portals.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement session and technical workshop on NELFUND System Automation and Loan Application Processes, held on Tuesday in Abuja, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, noted that the proposed integration would eliminate several bottlenecks in the student loan application process.
Source: Legit.ng
