By Paul Joseph
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has weighed in on the ongoing debate over student loans in Nigeria, describing the federal government’s education financing model as misguided and potentially harmful to young people.
Sowore’s comments come amid growing public scrutiny of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, a government-backed initiative established to provide financial support to students through structured loans.
While the scheme is aimed at expanding access to tertiary education, critics argue it could saddle beneficiaries with long-term debt.
In his remarks on his facebook page on Friday evening, Sowore rejected the premise of student borrowing, insisting that Nigerian students should not need loans to access education.
He argued that the responsibility for funding education lies with the state, calling for increased public investment in universities and broader subsidies to ease the financial burden on families.
Drawing a comparison with political officeholders, he questioned why students should be encouraged to take loans when leaders themselves do not rely on borrowing for personal welfare or public service privileges.
According to him, the loan scheme risks creating a cycle of indebtedness, particularly in an economy grappling with high unemployment and limited opportunities for young graduates.
He wrote: “Nigerian students don’t need loans to go to school.
If politicians won’t borrow for their own healthcare and lifestyles, why should students? @NELFUND is a trap, not a solution.”
Meanwhile, his supporters have echoed concerns that without strong job creation and stable income prospects, many graduates may struggle to repay loans, potentially worsening financial pressures after school.
However, backers of the loan programme argue that it remains a practical response to funding constraints in the education sector.
They note that similar models are widely used globally to support access to higher education, adding that the Nigerian scheme includes provisions intended to make repayment manageable.
Policy analysts say the disagreement highlights a broader challenge facing Nigeria: how to balance access to education with sustainable funding.
While there is widespread agreement on the need to expand opportunities for students, opinions remain divided on whether loans, grants, or a combination of both offer the best path forward.
Some experts have proposed a blended system that combines scholarships and targeted grants for disadvantaged students with optional loan facilities for others.
Others have called for deeper structural reforms, including improved funding for public institutions and stronger oversight of education financing.
As the conversation continues, the future of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund is expected to remain a key issue in Nigeria’s policy space, with students, families, and stakeholders closely watching how the government navigates the debate.
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