The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has granted another extension for its Student Loan Application Portal to accommodate institutions that requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to a statement signed by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Thursday, the extension applies only to institutions that submitted formal requests, allowing eligible students extra time to complete their applications.

“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of its Student Loan Application Portal for institutions that have formally requested additional time for the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read.

Speaking on the development, NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that eligible students at participating institutions can access the student loan programme.

“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that eligible students across participating institutions have the opportunity to access the student loan programme,” he said.

The Fund urged students in the affected institutions to take advantage of the extension and submit their applications through the official portal.

It also emphasised its dedication to transparency, accountability, and providing sustainable financing solutions aimed at removing financial barriers to higher education in Nigeria.

Established to administer the Nigeria Student Loan Scheme, NELFUND was enacted into law by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024.

The initiative provides interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and living expenses.

Beneficiaries are required to repay the loans after completing their education and securing employment, with the aim of increasing access to higher education for students from low-income backgrounds.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially commenced registration for the 2026 Direct Entry (DE) admissions exercise.

In a statement shared on its verified X account on Monday, the examination body announced that the sale of application documents began on March 2, 2026, and will close on April 25, 2026.

JAMB advised all prospective Direct Entry candidates to note that registration services are strictly available at designated JAMB offices nationwide.

“This is to inform prospective DE applicants that the sale of application documents has commenced today, Monday, March 2, 2026, and will end on Saturday, April 25, 2026,” the board stated.

“Please note that this service can be accessed only at our offices nationwide.”

Candidates seeking admission through the Direct Entry mode are therefore urged to complete their registration within the stipulated period to avoid missing the deadline.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for external candidates, with 71.63 per cent of candidates achieving five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

Announcing the release on Tuesday, the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Danlami Wushishi, disclosed that a total of 96,979 candidates registered for the examination nationwide.

Of this number, 51,823 candidates, representing 53.43 per cent, were male, while 45,156 candidates, representing 46.56 per cent, were female.

According to him, 95,160 candidates eventually sat for the examination, comprising 50,785 males (53.36 per cent) and 44,375 females (46.63 per cent).

Wushishi stated that 93,425 candidates sat for the English Language examination, out of which 73,167 candidates, representing 78.32 per cent, obtained credit passes and above. He added that 93,330 candidates sat for Mathematics, with 85,256 candidates, representing 91.35 per cent, securing credit passes and above.

He further revealed that 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. In addition, 82,082 candidates, representing 86.26 per cent, recorded five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

On examination malpractice, the NECO Registrar disclosed that 9,016 candidates were booked for various forms of malpractice, compared with 6,160 cases recorded in 2024, representing an increase of 31.7 per cent.

He also announced that some supervisors and centres were sanctioned for their involvement in malpractice. According to him, two supervisors from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and one each from Kano and Lagos states were recommended for appropriate sanctions.

Furthermore, four examination centres—two in Niger State and one each in Yobe and Lagos states—were found culpable of whole-centre malpractice and have been recommended for de-recognition.

The NECO chief reaffirmed the council’s commitment to maintaining the integrity and credibility of its examinations and warned stakeholders against engaging in practices that undermine the examination process.