The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced the official launch of its student loan application portal for the 2025/2026 academic session, enabling students in tertiary institutions nationwide to access financial assistance.
According to the agency, the application period will open on Thursday, October 23, 2025, and close on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.
NELFUND advised new students to use their Admission Number or JAMB Registration Number in place of a matriculation number when applying.
The agency also appealed to tertiary institutions to show understanding regarding registration and tuition fee deadlines for students awaiting loan disbursement.
“Institutional Institutions are encouraged to show understanding in enforcing registration and fee Flexibility payment deadlines for students awaiting loan disbursement.”
“Institutions that have not yet commenced their 2025/2026 academic session should Special Notice formally write to NELFUND with their approved academic calendar for scheduling flexibility.”
“NELFUND appeals to all institutions to consider temporary registration measures for students whose loan applications are being processed to ensure that no student loses access to education due to financial constraints,” the statement added.
NELFUND Opens Student Loan Portal For 2025/2026 Session
AWS Fixes Global Outage Issue After Major Disruption
Amazon’s cloud computing arm, AWS, announced that it has fixed the issue responsible for a widespread outage that disrupted connectivity for numerous major websites and apps across the globe.
In an update posted on its status page on Monday, Amazon Web Services (AWS) confirmed that the “underlying DNS issue has been fully mitigated, and most AWS Service operations are succeeding normally now.”
It added, “Some requests may be throttled while we work toward full resolution.”
According to the company, the problem originated from DynamoDB, a database service located in one of Amazon’s primary data centres in Virginia, United States, identified as US-EAST-1. AWS advised users still encountering problems linked to the outage to try clearing their DNS caches.
The disruption had significantly affected several well-known websites and applications worldwide. Platforms such as AI startup Perplexity, trading platform Robinhood, messaging service Signal, and cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase all reported experiencing problems caused by the AWS outage.
“Perplexity is down right now. The root cause is an AWS issue. We’re working on resolving it,” Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas stated in a post on X.
As one of the world’s leading cloud service providers, AWS competes with Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure to supply businesses and institutions with computing power, data storage, and other digital infrastructure services on demand.
When its servers experience issues, the impact can be far-reaching, disrupting large portions of the internet due to the vast number of companies dependent on its infrastructure.
Downdetector, a platform where users report online service interruptions, showed hundreds of popular sites facing access issues during the outage.
Among the affected platforms were Zoom, Roblox, Fortnite, Duolingo, Canva, Wordle, and several others.
Amazon’s own services including its shopping platform, Prime Video, and Alexa were also reportedly impacted, according to Downdetector.
Reuters reported that Uber’s competitor, Lyft, also experienced downtime affecting thousands of users in the United States, while many bank customers in the United Kingdom reported service disruptions.
Senate Pushes For Mental Health Education In Nigerian School Curriculum
The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to integrate mental health education into the national school curriculum to tackle the growing emotional and psychological challenges among students and teachers across the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, made the call on Monday during a mental health awareness programme organised by the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI) in Abuja.
Delivering the keynote address, Banigo who also serves as Grand Patron of MHEI and the Association of Mental Health Reform Organisations in Africa stressed the need to prioritise emotional well-being in education.
“Education is more than the pursuit of grades; it is the shaping of character, values, and vision. Yet, we cannot expect excellence from a mind burdened by anxiety, depression, fear, or hopelessness,” she said.
The senator lamented the increasing cases of academic burnout, substance abuse, and mental distress among students and educators, urging the government to move “from silence to action, from stigma to support.”
She added, “The school environment must become a place not only for intellectual development but for psychological safety and emotional growth.”
Banigo reaffirmed the Senate Committee’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian learner can thrive both mentally and academically. “We must work closely with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to integrate mental health education into school curricula, train teachers and school counsellors in emotional intelligence and crisis response,” she said.
She further called for the creation of mental health desks in schools, increased community awareness, and investment in youth-centered research to support policy reforms.
The event also featured two major initiatives; the National Students–Parents–Teachers Roundtable and a continental webinar hosted under the Association of Mental Health Reform Organisations in Africa (AMHROA) aimed at bridging education and mental health reforms.
In his remarks, Dr. Ameh Abba, Founder and President of MHEI, said mental health should be viewed as a developmental priority, not just a medical concern.
“For far too long, mental health has been confined to hospitals and institutions, seen as an isolated medical issue rather than a societal development priority. But today, we reaffirm a new understanding that mental well-being is the key to academic success, national productivity, and thriving communities,” he said.
Abba emphasised that emotionally safe learning spaces are essential for nurturing resilient and purpose-driven students, adding that the growing momentum for reform “marks the beginning of a movement to embed mental well-being into the heart of education systems across Africa.”
PDP Convention Anyanwu Claims Signature Forgery
The internal conflict within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened after the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, accused its leadership of forgery.
The controversy emerges just weeks ahead of the party’s national convention slated for November 15 in Ibadan.
In a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Anyanwu alleged that his signature was falsified on a letter dated August 25, 2025, which notified INEC about the proposed convention.
He asserted that the letter, which bore his name alongside that of the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, was “fake.”
According to him, the document “was never signed, authorised, or known to me,” describing the incident as “shocking and criminal.”
He urged the security agencies to “commence immediate investigation and prosecute those involved,” alleging that some party officials may have acted “in collaboration with elements within INEC.”
Anyanwu cautioned that allowing such an act of forgery to go unpunished could undermine confidence in the PDP’s internal democracy and damage the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
The alleged forgery has further widened rifts within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), where at least 14 members reportedly endorsed a letter calling for the removal of the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade.
Tensions escalated last week when Ajibade clashed with Damagum in court over a case filed by four state chairmen contesting the planned convention. The dispute centered on who held the authority to appoint legal representation for the party.
While Damagum had enlisted Chief Chris Uche (SAN) to represent the PDP, Ajibade maintained that, as National Legal Adviser, he alone possessed the authority to engage counsel.
Sources within the party revealed that former Senate President Bukola Saraki led a delegation that appealed to Anyanwu to endorse the contentious letter following the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. However, Anyanwu denied doing so, insisting that his signature was forged.
In his petition titled “Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature,” dated October 15, Anyanwu reaffirmed his position, stating: “It is shocking to have a forged or cloned version of my signature on such a document.”
The PDP convention, already entangled in legal disputes at the Federal High Court in Abuja, now faces greater uncertainty amid the deepening crisis within its leadership.
EndSARS Memorial: Global Rights Demands Justice Years After Lekki Tragedy
Five years after the events of October 20, 2020, at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, Global Rights has renewed its demand for justice and accountability for those affected by the EndSARS protest crackdown.
In a statement released to mark the anniversary and titled “Waiting for Accountability: 20.10.20, Five Years On,” the group’s executive director, Abiodun Baiyewu, expressed disappointment that years of inquiries and investigations have yielded little progress.
She noted that, despite several judicial panels established across the country, no one has been held responsible, and most of the recommendations from those panels have yet to be implemented.
Baiyewu described this persistent lack of action as “a deep wound on Nigeria’s democracy,” stressing that the erosion of public trust in governance continues to deepen.
“The tragic events of October 20, 2020, when armed security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters holding the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem, drove that deficit even deeper,” she said.
She further pointed out that the #EndSARS movement went beyond opposition to police brutality, representing a broader demand for fairness, justice, and reform across Nigeria’s governance system.
“The protesters’ five demands, justice for victims, compensation for families, police oversight, reform, and better welfare for officers remain largely unmet,” Baiyewu added.
Global Rights also drew attention to what it described as a disturbing pattern of state response to peaceful dissent, referring to the government’s handling of the 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. During those protests, the group said, at least 30 people lost their lives, while many others, including minors were arrested and accused of treason.
The rights organisation also voiced concern over the growing misuse of legislation such as the Cybercrime Act to intimidate citizens, journalists, and activists who speak up against injustice.
“This practice erodes the foundation of democracy and sends a dangerous message that freedom of expression exists only on paper,” the statement said.
Reiterating its major demands, Global Rights called on the government to take concrete steps toward Accountability, Reform, Respect for Rights, and Civic Protection.
Baiyewu emphasised that public demonstrations should not be seen as threats to authority but as expressions of civic engagement capable of strengthening democracy when managed responsibly.
“No government enjoys criticism, but strong democracies use it as feedback,” she said. “Nigeria must learn to listen to its citizens, not muzzle them.”
As the nation remembers the events at Lekki Toll Gate five years later, the organisation urged the government to show genuine commitment to justice and reform, warning that “justice delayed is democracy denied.”
Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow Protesters in Abuja
Security forces in Abuja on Monday used tear gas to disperse protesters demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), before the demonstration fully began. Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore was among those present at the protest.
The protest, tagged #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow, was planned to kick off at the Transcorp Hilton and other strategic locations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, police officers intervened early, firing tear gas to break up the crowd and prevent the rally from starting. Security presence had been heightened across the city, with personnel from the military, police, and Department of State Services (DSS) stationed around key areas such as the Three Arms Zone, Eagle Square, Unity Fountain, and the Presidential Villa.
Despite a court order prohibiting protests near major government buildings, organisers under the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign insisted on proceeding. Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, said, “Our right to peaceful assembly is protected by the Constitution. We will not be intimidated.”
Legal counsel to the organisers, Maxwell Opara, also maintained that the protest was lawful, saying, “The police were notified. Their role is to provide security, not to stop peaceful protesters.”
Convener Omoyele Sowore warned that any use of force would be documented and challenged in court, noting that legal, medical, and media teams were on ground to monitor the protest. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also deployed personnel to safeguard public infrastructure.
FCT Commandant Olusola Odumosu stated, “The corps will not tolerate damage to property in the name of protest.”Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, directed officers to enforce the court order and maintain security across restricted areas.
As the situation unfolded, tensions remained high as protesters regrouped and moved towards the Utako district in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
ADC Suspends South South Chairman— Usani Over Alleged Violations
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has suspended its National Vice Chairman (South-South), Dr. Usani Uguru Usani, citing alleged breaches of the party’s constitution and actions considered harmful to its unity and development.
The action was taken during a meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the ADC, Cross River State Chapter, held on October 15, 2025.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja by the State Publicity Secretary, Hon. James Otudor, the party stated that Dr. Usani’s recent behavior violated key sections of the ADC constitution.
The statement noted that the suspension followed deliberations on petitions and reports accusing Usani of engaging in anti-party activities, insubordination, and conduct capable of damaging the party’s image and internal cohesion.
The ADC explained that the suspension would remain in place pending the conclusion of investigations by relevant party bodies.
The statement also faulted the appointment of Ms. Jackie Wayas as Deputy National Publicity Secretary, describing the process as one that lacked proper consultation with the Cross River State leadership.
It added that Ms. Wayas had not interacted with the state chapter since assuming her position and called on the national leadership to review her appointment.
The party further expressed concern over some individuals from the Coalition Movement who had indicated interest in joining the ADC but had yet to complete their membership registration.
It warned that the party would not tolerate dual membership or allow its platform to be used by individuals pursuing multiple political interests.
Accordingly, the ADC instructed all coalition leaders and intending members to finalize their registration at the ward level within seven days, ending on October 25, 2025, or risk exclusion from party activities.
Restating its commitment to the national leadership, the ADC Cross River Chapter assured members of its resolve to uphold transparent leadership and advance a people-focused political agenda across the state and the South-South region.
Tight Security Surrounds Presidential Villa As ‘Free Kanu’ Protest Causes Gridlock
A protest calling for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, sparked a massive security lockdown around the Presidential Villa and other parts of Abuja early Monday.
Findings showed that the demonstration was led by #RevolutionNow convener and former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
The situation caused severe traffic disruption at major entry points into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as security personnel mounted barricades on key roads leading into the city.
Access to the Three Arms Zone, which houses the seat of government, was heavily restricted, with combined teams of soldiers, police, and masked Department of State Services (DSS) operatives enforcing strict stop-and-search checks.
Presidential Villa workers struggled to gain access, as even those with valid parking permits were turned back and redirected to alternative parking areas outside the complex.
A confused staff member wrote on social media: “Please, can someone find out what is going on in the Villa? All access roads are blocked. Nobody is allowed in, even with tags.”
The effects of the heightened security extended far beyond the Villa.
Commuters along the Keffi-Abuja expressway were stranded for hours after soldiers barricaded the Karu Bridge near Sani Abacha Barracks around 4 a.m., stopping vehicles for intense inspections.
Civil servants and traders from Nyanya, Karu, Mararaba, and Masaka were most affected by the resulting gridlock.
Similar incidents were reported on the Dutse-Bwari and Airport Road routes.
Motorists coming from the airport axis were diverted at the National Mosque, where security forces blocked access to the Central Business District.
A message circulated among workers read: “Good morning, dear colleagues, please, if you are coming from Airport Road to Central Area, follow Area 1. Security blocked from the National Mosque.”
Security forces also sealed off several routes leading to the Eagle Square, Federal Secretariat, and National Assembly, maintaining heavy presence to prevent unrest.
Nnamdi Kanu, who was arrested and extradited to Nigeria in June 2021, remains in detention despite multiple court rulings ordering his release. His supporters have continued to demand his freedom, citing deteriorating health conditions
Exploring The World Of Acting And Producing With Sandra Okunzuwa
In an exclusive chat with LN247, Nigerian actress and producer Sandra Okunzuwa shared her journey and experience in the film industry. She revealed that she started acting officially in 2018 after her law school because she wanted people to see her talent.
Since childhood, she had loved acting and wanted to explore what God had given her. She attended Royal Arts Academy and began going for auditions but faced major setbacks along the way.
Sandra also explored the world of producing, where she always strives to deliver her best both as an actress and a producer. She further shared five things people don’t know about her, giving fans a glimpse into her world. Watch the full interview to hear more about her story and passion for acting.
Implications Of CBN’s 48-Hour Refund Policy On Banks And Customers
The Central Bank of Nigeria has ordered banks to refund customers for failed ATM transactions within 48 hours, a move aimed at protecting consumers and rebuilding trust in the banking system. This policy seeks to ensure accountability and improve the overall efficiency of Nigeria’s electronic payment system.
However, the directive also poses a challenge for banks, which must now enhance their internal processes and technology to meet the strict deadline. For customers, it signals a positive shift toward faster resolutions and stronger confidence in digital banking, a key step toward a more reliable and customer-focused financial sector.
