Tinubu has approved loans for students — are you eligible?

The newly elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been making the news since his inauguration. From fuel subsidy removal to the electricity act, and now our latest law in place; THE STUDENT LOAN ACT.

This act was signed into law as an effort to make education accessible to students from all backgrounds who are at their tertiary level of education. The new student loan act offers up to N500,000 a year at an interest-free rate, as well as provides funds for all education-related issues, including textbooks, and research.

And since Irorun is your one-stop for the best financial news, we’ve curated an all-you-need-to-know article on the new student loan act. You’re welcome!

Facts you should know about the student loan act We never want you to run on hearsay or “dem say dem say” and that’s why we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the facts of this new act. Shall we?

You may already be wondering “What are the requirements, and how do I know I’m eligible?”. We got you!

The applicant must have gained admission into any Nigerian University, Polytechnic, College of education, or Vocational school established by the Federal Government or any state government: This means that the student loan act is only applicable to students studying in Nigeria. Sorry to our Diasporan readers… The applicant’s family must have a yearly income that does not exceed N500,000: For those whose parents or guardians earn about a million a year, they don’t qualify for the student loan. Please note that this means; the monthly income in your family must be about N42,000. Each intending applicant must have a minimum of two guarantors who must fall into one of the following categories: Civil servants of at least Level 12 in the service — this refers to a civil servant with grade level 12 and earns between N255,000 to #N700,000 monthly Lawyers with a minimum of 10 years of post-call experience — this refers to a lawyer of the federation with a minimum of 10 years of experience after being called to the bar. Judicial officers or Justices of the Peace — a local judicial official who is empowered chiefly to administer oaths, perform marriage ceremonies, certify documents, and in some states may have additional judicial powers (as to issue summonses). Disqualification criteria

We’ve seen the eligibility criteria, now let’s take a look at the disqualification criteria.

Parental loan default: If the intending applicant’s parent has been found to have defaulted on a previous loan, the applicant is immediately disqualified. Applicant’s loan default: For an applicant who has taken out a previous loan and is found to have defaulted on the said loan, there is also an immediate disqualification. Criminal offenses: If an applicant is found to be convicted of a felony (any offense punishable by death or imprisonment of 3 years or more without previous conviction), be found to be involved in a drug case or has been/is involved with examination malpractice, they are automatically disqualified from participating in the student loan act. Repayment and penalties

This seems a tad bit unreal, doesn’t it? We’re all skeptical about how effective and helpful this new act will be to the average Nigerian youth

You may already be wondering how the student loan will be repaid and the associated penalties. Again, we’ve got you covered.

Students are required to begin repayment for the loan 2 years after their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program with a deduction of 10% from their monthly salary or total monthly profit (if they are self-employed). Self-employed individuals must submit relevant information and documentation such as business name, address, location, registration documents (if applicable) within 60 days to the committee. The chairman of the committee is to be notified of a job change within 30 days of working under new employment. Failure to pay back the student loan will result in a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 2 years. This scheme is set to be managed by the Central Bank of Nigeria on behalf of the federal government. The governor of the CBN shall set up a special committee and head this committee as the Chairman. He shall also appoint a committee secretary.

According to the new act, students applying for loans must apply to the chairman of the education Fund committee through the student affairs officer of their respective institutions upon satisfying the criteria above. Loan disbursements are made within 30 days of the application reaching the chairman of the committee.

Now that you’re well informed of all the necessary details of the new student loan act. Will you be applying anytime soon? Are you eligible?

Tell us what you think in the comments!