Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has commended President Bola Tinubu’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing the student-loan scheme as an important intervention for expanding access to higher education and reducing financial barriers for Nigerian students.
Yusuf made the commendation on Saturday, September 19, 2026, during the 2nd and 3rd Combined Convocation Ceremony of Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State, where 1,101 students received first degrees. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.
“This important initiative provides students and parents with greater opportunities to finance education across Nigerian tertiary institutions and represents a significant step towards expanding access to higher education,” Yusuf said.
He said federal support for education through NELFUND could help reduce the financial burden that prevents qualified young Nigerians from pursuing tertiary education.
The governor also urged the graduands to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies to productive ventures and community development. He commended Al-Istiqama University’s management and staff for contributing to the expansion of higher education in Kano State.
The ceremony featured the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil and Alhaji Abdulmumini Mai Shanu, also known as A.Y. Shafa. A posthumous doctorate was also conferred on the late Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata in recognition of his contributions to education and the university.
NELFUND’s activities in Kano include its partnership with Bayero University, Kano (BUK). In April 2026, BUK said about 17,000 students had accessed the loan facility, prompting the university to establish a standing committee to oversee implementation of the scheme.
Separately, BUK Vice-Chancellor, Professor Haruna Musa, disclosed on April 7, 2026, that NELFUND had disbursed ₦3.039 billion in institutional charges to 27,640 BUK students across the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions. The amount excluded living-cost payments made directly to beneficiaries.
Yusuf also said his administration would continue to invest in education, describing the sector as central to human capital development and the state’s long-term progress.
NELFUND has also cleared Kano institutions including Yusuf Maitama Sule University and Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, for participation in the student-loan programme.
The governor said investments in education were investments in the future of Kano State and Nigeria, stressing the importance of developing a skilled population capable of contributing to economic and social development.
