The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr has called for a renewed national commitment to integrity, accountability and equitable access to education as the foundation for Nigeria’s sustainable future.

Sawyerr made the call at the 2025 Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Award Lecture held at the University of Lagos, Akoka.
where he delivered a keynote address titled “Education, Integrity and the Future: Laying the Foundation for an Equitable and Sustainable Nigeria through Accountability and Access to Opportunities”.

Sawyerr said, “Chief Gani stood for truth when it was inconvenient, and for accountability when silence was easier,” describing him as “a moral compass for all who believe in the possibility of a fair and equitable Nigeria.”

He stressed that education as a powerful instrument for social change, must be rooted in strong ethical values to deliver lasting impact.
“Education remains the most powerful tool for social transformation, but education without integrity cannot build a sustainable society,” he said.

“integrity gives education its moral value and ensures that learning translates into service, innovation and justice.”

Sawyerr noted that this philosophy underpins the work of NELFUND, which he said is committed to ensuring that access to quality higher education is “not a privilege, but a right.”

He described the signing of the Student Loan Act into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a defining moment in Nigeria’s educational history, adding that effective structures, systems and leadership were required to translate policy into real impact.

He revealed that NELFUND has taken deliberate steps to translate the law into measurable outcomes through technology and transparency.

“We have built a fully digital loan management platform, ensuring real-time processing, monitoring and disbursement to students across tertiary institutions,” he said.

According to him, the Fund has also implemented safeguards to promote accountability.

“We established a data integrity framework that verifies eligibility and prevents misuse or duplication, ensuring accountability at every stage,” Sawyerr stated.

The NELFUND chief further explained that the repayment system has been designed to be empathetic and flexible, with repayments tied to employment status and income levels in order to ensure sustainability without placing undue burden on beneficiaries.

Addressing widespread public distrust of government programmes, Sawyerr acknowledged Nigerians’ concerns, noting that past experiences have made citizens skeptical of government initiatives.

He added that NELFUND is determined to earn public confidence.

“Our systems are designed to earn trust daily, through openness, efficiency and measurable outcomes,” he proclaim.

He stressed that accountability remains non-negotiable declaring that “every kobo disbursed must be traceable, every beneficiary verifiable and every decision is  defensible.”

The NELFUND boss said: “In today’s Nigeria ,Integrity must become a national culture, not an exception thereby urging public officials to demonstrate the governance can be professional, accountable and impactful.

“As we celebrate integrity today, the most enduring legacy we can build is a nation that gives its young people a fair chance and a reason to believe,” he said.

Sawyerr noted that NELFUND’s mission goes beyond student loans to national transformation through equitable access to education, adding that every empowered student represents a future contributor to national progress.

“NELFUND is not just about student loans; it is about national transformation through equitable access,each student we empower represents a future innovator, teacher, doctor or entrepreneur,” he said.

He reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to partnering with public, private and international stakeholders to expand access, strengthen transparency and sustain impact.

“We are laying that foundation step by step, through systems that work, data that speaks and outcomes that last.”

Sawyer urged leaders and citizens to uphold the principles of truth and fairness exemplified by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

“Chief Gani lived by principle, not convenience. If we can each uphold that same standard of truth and fairness, then Nigeria’s future is secure,” he said.