Policy Brief: Can NELFUND Sustain Itself? Nigeria has tried student loans three times in 1972, 1988 and 1993. Each attempt eventually collapsed. As @NELFUND scales up disbursements, what can Nigeria learn from those past failures? Our latest policy brief examines access, recovery, financing and governance and asks what it will take for NELFUND to become a sustainable student financing system. Read the brief: ireadtolive.org/policy-brief…

punchng.com/nelfund-risks-co… Also speaking Prof @yomitheprof , an educator and human resources strategist, faulted the Federal Government for removing a means-test provision from the student loan legislation and questioned the continued increase in tuition fees by some institutions. He said the draft bill initially restricted beneficiaries to people below a specified income level, but the provision was later removed.

A university approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) can still offer a programme that its professional council has not accredited. In medicine, law, engineering, pharmacy, nursing and architecture, that gap can decide whether graduates qualify to practise. In August 2026, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) placed a law faculty under a 10-year moratorium. Professor Ogundipe, Chairman of NUC says the overlap imposes avoidable costs. Read our explainer on why Nigerian universities answer to so many regulators: ireadtolive.org/why-nigerian… #iReadPolicyTracker #NigeriaHEPolicy #NUC #HigherEducation @MDCNOfficial @PCN_Registry @arcon_NG

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board @jamb_hq has announced plans to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada. The Board disclosed this following a visit by its Registrar, @profsegunaina to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa. JAMB has run foreign centres since at least 2013 without publishing separate candidate numbers, costs or outcomes. Before Ottawa opens, we have some recommendations for JAMB to consider. Read our commentary here : ireadtolive.org/jamb-foreign…

Last week, we hosted a policy conversation on the sustainability of NELFUND, student financing, and the future of higher education funding in Nigeria in partnership with @BudgITng . Here are a few excerpts from our speakers as they shared their perspectives and insights. To read our full brief, visit: ireadtolive.org/policy-brief…

We are looking forward to this conversation in a few minutes.

Prof. Ibiyemi, immediate past Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, says public universities must charge ₦1 million in tuition per student. Interestingly, a few weeks ago, Minister of Education @DrTunjiAlausa said VCs and Universities must stop waiting for government. Do you know the reality? Families and students are left holding the bill. The big question is, Who pays, and who gets priced out? This Friday at 5:00 PM, Professors Isaac Obasi and @yomitheprof will take up this question during our webinar on the sustainability of @NELFUND and share their perspectives on the future of student financing in Nigeria. Kindly register and join us: ireadtolive.org/events/nelfu…

2 days to go! 🇳🇬 Can NELFUND sustain itself? Join @iReadInitiative and @BudgITng this Friday, 25 September at 5:00 PM WAT, for a policy discussion on the future of Nigeria’s student loan scheme. We will examine funding, loan recovery, transparency, governance & lessons from other countries. Kindly join us and register to attend: ireadtolive.org/events/nelfu…

iRead Initiative at #UNGA81 🇺🇳 Our Executive Director, @SuleJacobs, is participating in events and policy conversations taking place alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. As part of these engagements, he participated in the @gatesfoundation Goalkeepers AI for Action Lunch, joining leaders, innovators, and partners examining how AI can expand opportunity and accelerate progress for those who stand to benefit most. For us at iRead, this connects directly to our higher education policy research on AI and its implications for access, teaching and learning, student success, research, and institutional decision-making. AI in education must be guided by evidence, equity, and accountability, with investments that expand opportunity rather than deepen existing inequalities. #UNGA #iReadInitiative #AI #HigherEducation #EducationPolicy

iRead Initiative Announces Academic Advisory Council, Names Professor Sola Akinrinade as a Council Chair iRead Initiative, a higher education policy think tank dedicated to producing rigorous, independent research and advancing evidence-based policy reforms in Nigeria, announces its Academic Advisory Council today. The eight scholars and practitioners on the Council will steer and guide iRead’s research toward its vision: a Nigerian higher education system in which every student who qualifies for university admission can access it, afford it, thrive within it, and graduate into meaningful economic opportunity. Prof. Sola Akinrinade, Professor of African Diplomatic History and International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University and pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, chairs the Council. Joining him are Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, former Vice-Chancellor of the @ibadanuni ; Prof. Isaac N. Obasi, Professor of Public Administration; Asst. Prof. @effodu , Lincoln Alexander School of Law of Toronto Metropolitan University & @UNESCO Expert on AI and the Rule of Law; @GraceChiAlex , technology policy and data specialist; @Deborahtoluwase development communication specialist and journalist; Jamila Idris, policy strategist; and Adeoluwa Folami of Morgan State University, USA. ireadtolive.org/academic-adv…

Happy birthday to our dear friend and beloved brother @seunonigbinde ! We celebrate you and appreciate your continued support of the work we do at iRead Initiative. We wish you continued success in all your endeavors. Congratulations and best wishes from all of us at iRead Initiative. 🎉