By Abdussamad Sufi
 |
| ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, with the student developer. |
A 300-level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has developed a mobile application designed to help students better understand the Federal Government's student loan scheme, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The developer, Abdullahi Adam Usman, of the Department of Political Science and International Studies, said the platform, My NELFund, is an independent initiative aimed at improving public knowledge of the scheme.
The application provides an eligibility assessment feature, loan repayment and moratorium calculator, a section for frequently asked questions (FAQs), and a knowledge base. It also redirects users to NELFUND's official website for application.
According to Usman, My NELFund is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app can be downloaded here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mynelfund.app
 |
| My NELFund app on Google Play Store |
It currently supports English and Hausa, with plans to include additional Nigerian languages.
He said the project was conceived to make government policy information more accessible by simplifying statutory and institutional requirements for students and the general public.
Data from Google Analytics, he said, showed that between August 27 and September 23, 2026, the app recorded 597 new users, 595 active users, 4,968 screen views, 4,744 engagement events and 3,363 navigation interactions.
He added that the eligibility verification segment recorded 938 visits, while the calculator segment recorded 664 visits, with users completing 528 eligibility checks and 1,470 loan calculations.
Usman said the platform is being used in 17 countries, including 533 users in Nigeria and 21 in the United States.
He said the next phase of the project will focus on expanding language options, enhancing educational resources and broadening access for Nigerian students.
Commenting on the initiative, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, congratulated the student, adding that the app would provide greater clarity and enable users to access guidance from different parts of the country.
Prof. Ahmed described the innovation as a form of national service for which ABU is recognised and assured Usman of the university's continued support.
The meeting, held on Friday at the Vice-Chancellor's office, was attended by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Raymond Bako and the Dean, Students Affairs Division, Prof. Sahalu Junaidu.