Male students account for 68% of the 552,009 Nigerian education loan applicants as of May 2025

  • Male applicants dominate the Nigerian student loan landscape with 374,946 accounts, representing 68% of total applications.
  • Female applicants trail behind at 177,063, contributing just 32% to the total loan accounts.
  • For every 10 students who applied, approximately 7 are male and 3 are female.
  • The gender gap in student loan uptake is 197,883, with males nearly double the number of female applicants.

Gender disparities in Nigeria’s education loan fund are stark and numeric. Out of a combined 552,009 institutional loan applications as of May 2025, male students accounted for nearly 375K, significantly outpacing the 177K submitted by female students. That’s a 68 - 32 split, showing a two-to-one lead in favor of male applicants.

This gap could reflect underlying trends in enrolment rates, access to information, or even confidence in navigating application systems. What is certain, though, is the data: for every female student [who] accessed the fund, there were 2.1 male students right ahead, painting a clear picture of gender imbalance in educational financing demand.

Source:

NELFUND

Period:

May 2025
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