The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has warned students and members of the public to be on guard against increasing scam attempts targeting its interest-free loan programme.

The alert follows the spread of a fake notice claiming that a new registration portal for 2026 has been launched.

In a message posted on its official X account on Thursday, the agency advised Nigerians to verify any links before engaging with them and to rely only on its approved communication channels. It stressed the importance of staying alert to misinformation and online fraud.

NELFUND clarified that the circulating notice falsely claimed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the reopening of a new portal to address challenges faced by students. The message also included a suspicious link presented as an official site for loan applications and cash disbursements, which the agency described as fraudulent.

The Fund noted that similar scams had surfaced in 2025, with false claims about government directives and promises of easy financial benefits.

It reiterated that the student loan scheme, established under the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, provides interest-free support covering tuition and upkeep, with repayment scheduled to begin two years after completing the National Youth Service Corps programme.