The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has refuted a report, which claimed that 88,136 students were unable to apply for its loans.

In a statement released to clarify the matter on Sunday, NELFUND director of strategic communications, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the report misrepresented the loan application process.

She explained that the discrepancy between registered students and completed applications does not reflect any systemic barriers to loan access.

"The attention of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has been drawn to a recent publication titled "88,136 Students Unable to Apply for NELFUND Loans" in the Punch Newspaper, which appears to misrepresent the student loan application process.

"We wish to clarify the following points for the benefit of the public and the media: The difference between the number of registered students and those who have completed their loan applications does not necessarily indicate that students are unable to apply.

"Not all students who register on the NELFUND portal immediately proceed to complete their loan applications. Some choose to delay their applications for personal or academic calendar related reasons.

"Daily Registration and Application Rates: NELFUND records an average of 1,000 new registrations daily and additional 2,000 loan applications daily. This indicates that many students who registered earlier often return to complete their applications at a later time. This gradual process reflects the flexibility of the system, allowing students to apply at their own pace," the statement said.

It urged the media to avoid conclusions that may mislead the public and to engage with NELFUND for accurate information when reporting on such matters.