We paid for UTME forms despite JAMB saying it’s free for the blind — Candidates
As registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Nigeria’s entrance exam into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, continues across Nigeria, the process has not been exactly smooth, especially for visually-impaired candidates, for whom the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says registration is free. Interviews with affected candidates suggest that implementation at some centres tells a different story. Apart from paying for the ‘free’ form, these candidates complain that there were several technical difficulties during their registration. Mapping the UTME Reality for Blind Candidates JAMB policy dictates free registration, but geography dictates the reality. Click a red marker on the schematic map below to view ground reports across Nigeria. Lagos (Abule Egba) Lagos (Oshodi) Edo State Enugu (Emene) Select a location on the map to view the candidate’s registration experience. Staff Attitude: ${getMapBadgeDark(data.attitude, data.attitudeColor)} Study Materials: ${getMapBadgeDark(data.materials, ‘#EA2D2E’)}
Read MoreNigeria’s busiest airports to get MTN-backed free Wi-Fi
Travellers passing through Nigeria’s major international airports will now enjoy one hour of free high-speed internet, following a new partnership between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and MTN Nigeria, the country’s biggest telco. The service, which began quietly in December, is already live at Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2 in Lagos and at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, a FAAN spokesperson told TechCabal. Travellers can connect without entering a password. “It has been on since December; what we did today was a formal launch of the initiative,” the spokesperson said. FAAN said the service will soon expand to Port Harcourt International Airport, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, and the new temporary terminal at MMIA. Providing free high-speed internet at Nigeria’s busiest airports is a long-overdue change in how the country treats digital infrastructure in public spaces. Earlier efforts to offer reliable airport Wi-Fi were inconsistent, poorly funded, or derailed by maintenance challenges. A notable example was the partnership between Globacom and FAAN to deploy Wi-Fi across 22 airports, which collapsed in 2015. Travellers were often left with costly roaming options or unreliable connections. “In today’s connected world, access to reliable internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity,” said FAAN Managing Director/Chief Executive, Olubunmi Kuku. “We are pleased to offer this value-added service to our passengers, making their travel experience easier and more productive.” The move is part of a broader push to bring Nigeria’s airports in line with global expectations, where fast, reliable Wi-Fi has become a standard passenger amenity. The IATA 2025 Global Passenger Survey shows how essential connectivity has become: 78% of travellers now expect to use their smartphones for every step of the airport journey, from booking and digital identification to baggage tracking. “Airports are gateways to nations, and by providing free, high-speed Wi-Fi at our major international airports, we are enhancing convenience for travellers,” MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said.
Read MoreFrom Egypt to Gabon: 33 African countries that have imposed social media bans
Table of contents Algeria Benin Burundi Cameroon Chad Comoros Congo, Republic of (Brazzaville) Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Mali Mauritania Mauritius Mozambique Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia & Somaliland South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Africa has 54 countries, or 55 if you count the member states of the African Union. At some point, about 34 of them have imposed a social media ban or a full internet shutdown that disrupted social media access. As internet access expanded across the continent, social media became central to business, public debate, and political action. It also became a powerful tool for organising protests, exposing misconduct, and challenging those in power. In response, many governments turned to social media bans and internet shutdowns to control information and limit mobilisation. The modern wave of shutdowns gained global attention during the 2011 Arab Spring, when Egypt cut internet access to disrupt protests. Since then, at least 30 African countries have enforced some type of restriction. According to a 2024 report by Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition, 21 shutdowns were recorded across 15 countries in 2024 alone. Governments often introduce these bans during elections, protests, or conflict. They usually cite misinformation or national security. Human rights groups argue that the goal is often to control information and limit scrutiny. The impact is heavy. Economies lose billions of dollars in trade and investment. People lose access to services and communication, and trust in institutions declines. Regional courts such as the ECOWAS Court of Justice have ruled that shutdowns violate freedom of expression. As of February 2026, several countries still maintain active or repeated bans. Here are the 33 African countries that have banned social media at some point. 33 African countries that have banned social media 1. Algeria Algeria has repeatedly restricted social media, mainly during national secondary school exams and at key political moments. When the ban was put in place: Since at least 2016, the government has cut access to Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp for several hours each day during the baccalaureate exams. In June 2019, access was cut at 2:15 p.m. WAT to stop leaked exam papers from spreading. In September 2020, during protests against the administration, network data showed major internet disruptions that pushed much of the country offline for several hours after social media apps were restricted. Why it was put in place: For exams, the goal was to protect academic integrity and stop leaks. For protests, the government said it was preventing “misleading information” and protecting the “sanctity of national institutions”. Outcome of the ban: Exam shutdowns were temporary and lifted once testing ended. Political restrictions weakened the coordination of the “Hirak” protest movement. Repeated disruptions have slowed digital commerce growth, prompting many users to turn to VPNs. Other details: According to the 2024 report by Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition, at least 10 exam-related shutdowns occurred across the Middle East and North Africa in one year. 2. Benin Benin enforced a major social media and internet blackout during its 2019 parliamentary elections. When the ban was put in place: On April 28, 2019, access to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber was blocked around midnight. At 12:00 p.m. (noon) WAT, a full internet cutoff followed and lasted about 15 hours. Why it was put in place: The election was highly tense, with opposition parties barred from contesting. Authorities said the shutdown was needed for the “preservation of peace and social tranquillity.”. Outcome of the ban: Journalists, human rights defenders, and election observers could not report on polling issues or the use of force against protesters. The democratic process was heavily affected. When it was lifted: Internet access returned on the morning of April 29, 2019, after polls closed. Partial disruptions happened again on May 1, 2019, during violent clashes over the results. Other details: This event marked a shift in Benin’s democratic reputation, placing it among African countries that use digital restrictions during elections. 3. Burundi Burundi restricted social media during its general elections and later protests. When the ban was put in place: On May 20, 2020, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and YouTube were blocked throughout the morning of the election. In 2024, the country faced more internet disruptions during protests. Why it was put in place: The government said it wanted to maintain public order and stop the spread of “misinformation” during the first transfer of power in 15 years after President Pierre Nkurunziza’s long rule. Outcome of the ban: Opposition groups and civil society could not monitor the election process in real time. When it was lifted: Access was restored shortly after the election results were announced. Other details: Even after the ban ended, the media space remained highly restrictive. 4. Cameroon Cameroon carried out one of the longest shutdowns in Africa. When the ban was put in place: In January 2017, the government shut down the internet in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions for 93 days after protests by lawyers and teachers. Why it was put in place: Authorities sought to disrupt coordination among the Anglophone Consortium and the “Ghost Town” strikes, which called for secession or federalism. Outcome of the ban: Businesses in “Silicon Mountain” in Buea suffered, distance learners lost access, and the 20% Anglophone minority felt more isolated. According to a digital advocacy group, Advocacy Assembly, the shutdown cost about $2.5 million. When it was lifted: Internet access returned on April 20, 2017, after global pressure and the #BringBackOurInternet campaign. Other details: Later in 2017, WhatsApp and Facebook were throttled again for over 150 days during new protests. As of September 2025, separatists still use social media, while the government describes it as a “new form of terrorism” and keeps strong digital controls. 5. Chad Chad has enforced some of the longest social media bans on the continent. When the ban was put in place: In March 2018, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube were blocked
Read MoreJennifer Adebisi on why the “SaaS or nothing” mindset is failing Africa’s food-tech sector
There is a question Jennifer Adebisi has answered more times than she can count. It comes from investors, mostly, and it goes something like this: Are you building a tech company or a food company? The answer, she will tell you, is both. But that answer, she has learned, is the problem. “Food tech is too operational for Software as a Service (SaaS) investors,” she says. “But it is too tech-driven for traditional hospitality capital.” Adebisi sits in the gap between them, building something that does not fit neatly into either world. This is not a small problem. It shapes everything: how she raises money, how she is valued, how fast she can grow. And it is a problem, she argues, that reveals something broken about how Nigeria’s tech ecosystem thinks about consumer businesses. From Uli to the professional kitchen Adebisi came to technology through food, not the other way around. She grew up partly with her grandmother in Uli, Anambra State, in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, who farmed her own food and cooked everything from scratch. That early life shaped a deep belief in food as something beyond fuel for the body. “Food is nourishment, food is medicine, food is comfort,” she says. “Nothing is more personal.” In 2017, Adebisi graduated from Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School, a culinary school in Lagos and Abuja, and then moved to a Head Chef position at Sabor Lagos, a casual restaurant in the heart of Lagos, the following year. During her time as a head chef, competitors attempted to poach her, she says: “They’d come to me and ask if I knew someone who was as good as me, and I got an idea, to create a service to link people looking for chefs and the chefs themselves. Uche and I called it Prime Chef.” Prime Chef didn’t get off the ground at that stage due to problems surrounding the technical side of launching, but that was Adebisi’s first foray into technology. In 2021, Adebisi became Chief Culinary Officer and co-founder at FoodCourt, a YC-backed food tech startup, handling operations and quality control on the food end of the business. The operations side of that business exposed her, for the first time, to what technology could actually do. Not as a glamorous thing, but as a practical one. “Yes, you can build a nice app,” she says. “But the app is just the front. The real work exists in the operations. That is where your money lives.” Adebisi and her business partner, Uche Banye, left FoodCourt in July 2023. When they cofounded Happy Belly in September 2023, they brought that conviction with them. They were, by their own description, non-technical founders. They had no engineering background. But they knew exactly what they needed the technology to do because they had spent years inside the operations that the technology was supposed to serve. Happy Belly is a customer-facing app; a proprietary kitchen management system called Kina; a logistics app for riders; a vendor management network; a dark kitchen; and, soon, a WhatsApp ordering channel. Adebisi says she built each piece out of necessity because the technology tools available in the market did not solve the actual problems she was facing. “There is hardly any part of our operation that we do not have in hand,” she says. The funding gap nobody names When Adebisi pitches Happy Belly to investors, she runs into a version of the same wall from different directions. SaaS investors look at her unit economics and see capital expenditure: dark kitchens, equipment, riders, and packaging. They compare her to global food delivery platforms and ask why her growth does not look like DoorDash. “Local infrastructure costs are not being priced into their expectations,” she says. Traditional hospitality investors, on the other hand, do not quite follow the technology story. They understand restaurants. They do not understand why a food business needs to build its own kitchen operating system, or what the long-term value of proprietary logistics software looks like. “We are an unofficial infrastructure company,” Adebisi says. “It is real estate intensive, people intensive, capital intensive. Investors who typically fund SaaS are not looking for capex. And traditional investors do not get the tech story.” Happy Belly falls between both categories, and Adebisi has to construct a hybrid explanation of her valuation every time she enters a room. She is not the only one in this position. The problem, she argues, points to something the ecosystem has not fully worked out: how to evaluate and fund businesses that are genuinely hybrid, businesses that are neither pure software nor pure brick-and-mortar, but the increasingly common thing in between. Consumer tech in emerging markets looks different from consumer tech in San Francisco. The metrics, the timelines, the infrastructure costs, the risk profile, all of it is different. But Adebisi thinks that the frameworks investors use have not caught up. “You are just the chef.” There is a version of this misunderstanding that is more personal. Adebisi has sat in rooms and been told, in one form or another, that operations is not the real work of a tech company. That the engineers and product managers are the ones building something. That the people running the kitchen, managing the vendors, and designing the systems that keep food moving across a city are, at best, support functions. “Someone said to me, ‘You are just the chef,’” she recalls. “And it was my operational insight that was helping us optimise every section of the business, down to what technology should be built and what features we needed to improve operations.” Her argument is direct: in consumer tech, especially food, the money is in the operations. It is in inventory management, waste reduction, vendor relationships, and margin control. It is important to know that the type of rice you use for a menu item affects your volume and profitability. It is in having a system that tells you in real time how many orders
Read MoreNigeria’s crypto startups say SEC’s ₦2bn capital rule is a “disproportionate burden”
Nigerian crypto startup operators have said the increased minimum capital requirements, introduced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on January 16, will place a “disproportionate burden” on early-stage startups. In a position paper submitted to the SEC, the Stakeholders in Blockchain Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), an advocacy group comprising startups such as Dantown, Roqqu, and Breet, asked the SEC to review and refine the hiked capital thresholds for virtual asset companies. The increased capital requirements require Digital Asset Exchanges (DAXs) and Digital Asset Custodians to maintain a minimum of ₦2 billion ($1.4 million) in their operating coffers, up from ₦500 million ($351,000). Other categories of digital asset operators were also assigned higher thresholds under the revised framework. “While we recognise the policy’s intent to strengthen market integrity, investor protection, and systemic resilience, we respectfully submit that the current framework requires refinement to balance regulatory rigour with innovation sustainability,” the group said in the paper signed by its president, Barr. Mela Claude Ake. SiBAN said that while the SEC’s tougher capital rules are intended to strengthen oversight and protect investors, the blanket ₦2 billion ($1.4 million) threshold risks squeezing out early-stage blockchain startups that lack deep funding but pose far lower systemic risk for larger, well-funded companies. This could narrow Nigeria’s virtual assets market to only a few players who can afford the cost of operating well-oiled, compliant businesses. At the centre of its proposal is an alternative capital threshold system. The association recommends a tiered model with three levels: an “Innovation Track” requiring between ₦50 million ($37,300) and ₦200 million ($149,200) for startups and pilot-stage platforms; a “Growth Track” of ₦200 million–₦500 million ($149,200–$351,000) for expanding operators; and an “Institutional Track” of ₦500 million ($351,000) and above for established platforms subject to full regulatory supervision. The group says this structure would align capital obligations more closely with operational scale and risk exposure. SiBAN is also requesting an extended implementation timeline through 2028, proposing 12 months for tiered classification and transition planning, followed by an additional 18 months for capital formation and structural compliance. Under the current framework, affected entities are required to meet revised capital thresholds by June 30, 2027. It also proposed the creation of a Digital Asset Regulatory Working Group, a monitoring, review, and consultation body, comprising SEC officials, SiBAN representatives, independent subject matter experts, and other regulators, such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The aim would be to “ensure continuous feedback loops, rapid problem-solving, and adaptive policy refinement” as the market evolves. The paper also outlines alternative compliance pathways for smaller innovators and startups that may not immediately meet standalone capital requirements. These include mergers and acquisitions (M&As) for smaller players to explore and meet the capital requirements; accelerator and incubator partnerships that allow startups to operate under the regulatory cover of licenced firms; white-label arrangements that let technology providers offer backend services without holding customer funds; and venture studio models that centralise compliance and governance standards across multiple startups. SiBAN maintains that higher capital requirements could strengthen governance and encourage integration with traditional finance through venture capital engagement and strategic partnerships. However, it warns that without structural refinements, the thresholds may favour well-capitalised incumbents and foreign exchanges over domestic startups. The SEC director general, Dr Emomotimi Agama, told CNBC’s Closing Bell in a January 16 interview that it raised capital requirements to strengthen resilience and ensure firms operating in the capital market and Nigeria’s newly legalised digital asset sector have adequate financial buffers to protect investors. The regulator now faces the task of balancing that objective with concerns from industry participants about market entry barriers in a sector that remains in active development.
Read MoreNigeria to conduct “thorough assessment” of MTN’s $2.2 billion IHS deal
Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy will review MTN Group’s proposed $2.2 billion acquisition of IHS Towers, a landmark deal that would hand Africa’s largest mobile operator full control of one of the continent’s most extensive tower portfolios. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Minister Bosun Tijani said the Ministry would undertake a “thorough assessment” of the transaction in collaboration with relevant regulators, citing the strategic importance of telecoms infrastructure to national security, financial services, and economic growth. “Our objective is clear: to ensure that any market consolidation or structural changes protect consumers, safeguard investments, and preserve the long-term sustainability of the sector,” he said. The ministry’s intervention underscores how sensitive infrastructure consolidation has become in Nigeria’s fragile but recovering telecoms market. After years of currency volatility, rising tower lease costs, and debt pressures that strained operators and tower companies alike, regulators are now balancing investor confidence with competition, consumer protection, and national interest. Earlier on Tuesday, MTN confirmed it had agreed to acquire all outstanding shares in IHS that it does not already own at $8.50 per share, valuing the company at approximately $6.2 billion. MTN currently owns about 24.7% of IHS and intends to increase its stake to 100% through a cash merger that would take the tower company private. The transaction would consolidate control of nearly 29,000 telecom towers across Africa, tightening MTN’s grip on the physical infrastructure that underpins its network operations in Nigeria, its largest market. MTN said it plans to fund the $2.2 billion acquisition using roughly $1.1 billion in cash on IHS’s balance sheet, alongside available liquidity and new debt at the group level. The deal marks one of the most consequential infrastructure shifts in Nigeria’s telecoms sector in over a decade. For years, operators spun off tower assets to firms like IHS to reduce capital expenditure and focus on customer growth. Reversing that model signals a strategic rethink as profitability pressures reshape the industry. IHS Towers provides services for other telecom operators, including Airtel, the second-largest mobile network operator in Nigeria. A successful acquisition would not only hand over the tower company’s assets, but it would also give MTN an advantage over its competitors in the Nigerian market. MTN already takes 52% share of the market in Nigeria, with Airtel trailing at 33.94% share of the market. MTN has also entered into infrastructure-sharing deals that allow competitors like Airtel and T2 Mobile ride on its infrastructure in areas where they are unable to reach customers. Over the past two years, Nigeria’s telecom operators have faced mounting financial pressure from naira devaluation and dollar-denominated tower lease obligations. MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa both reported steep foreign exchange losses in 2023 before returning to improved profitability in recent results, aided by tariff adjustments and cost restructuring. For IHS, Nigeria remains its largest market, but one weighed down by currency headwinds and high power costs. Any acquisition would therefore represent not just a corporate buyout, but a structural shift in how telecom infrastructure is financed, owned, and managed in Africa’s biggest telecoms economy.
Read MoreMTN moves to take full control of IHS Towers in $2.2 billion deal
MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator, is moving to take full ownership of IHS Towers in a $2.2 billion deal that would consolidate control of nearly 29,000 telecom towers across Africa and mark a major strategic shift for the continent’s largest mobile network operator. IHS Towers accepted an offer of $8.50 per share in a transaction that would increase MTN’s stake to 100% and result in IHS being taken private, MTN noted in a statement on Tuesday shared with TechCabal. The proposed deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, as well as the delisting of IHS from the New York Stock Exchange. MTN owns approximately 24.7% of IHS and intends to acquire all outstanding shares it does not already hold through a cash merger. The deal values the IHS at approximately $6.2 billion, the company said in a separate statement. The proposed acquisition marks a notable reversal of MTN’s earlier infrastructure strategy. Like many telecom operators over the past decade, MTN had separated its tower assets to unlock capital and reduce capital intensity. Now, the group is seeking to reintegrate those assets, internalising tower lease margins it currently pays to IHS and capturing future third-party revenue growth directly. Shares of IHS dropped to $8.16 on Tuesday evening, February 17, 2026, after the announcement was made. The $8.50 per share offer in the MTN deal represents a 9.7% premium to IHS’s 30-day volume-weighted average price as of 4 February 2026, the last trading day before MTN released its cautionary announcement. For shareholders, the transaction provides an opportunity to make profits at a premium, particularly at a time when global tower valuations have faced pressure from higher interest rates and currency volatility in emerging markets. The deal follows IHS’s announced disposals of its Latin American assets earlier in February 2026. Upon completion of those transactions, MTN intends to acquire 100% of IHS’s remaining business, primarily focused on Africa. IHS is one of the world’s largest independent tower companies, with nearly 29,000 high-quality towers serving multiple mobile network operators in five key MTN markets. “This proposed transaction is a pivotal step in further strengthening MTN Group’s strategic and financial position for a future where digital infrastructure will become ever more essential to Africa’s growth and development,” said MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita. He described the deal as a “unique opportunity” to buy back MTN’s towers and strengthen its ability to partner with governments across its markets. MTN plans to fund the $2.2 billion acquisition using approximately $1.1 billion in cash on IHS’s balance sheet, alongside available liquidity and debt at the group level. The company stated that no new equity issuance would be required, although the funding structure, it noted, may lead to a short-term increase in leverage. MTN expects the transaction to be earnings-positive to both net income and cash flow. Long-term IHS shareholder Wendel has provided a letter of support, committing to vote in favour of the transaction, and will receive full liquidity upon closing. With Wendel’s backing and MTN’s own voting rights, around 40% of the required two-thirds shareholder approval has effectively been secured. “The proposed transaction deepens our long-standing partnership with MTN as it combines Africa’s largest mobile network operator with one of its largest digital infrastructure platforms and underscores the strong connection between IHS Towers and the African continent,” IHS Chairman and CEO, Sam Dawish, said. If approved, the transaction would create the largest integrated tower platform in Africa under MTN’s control. Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include IHS’ valuation based on the deal.
Read MoreNELFUND disbursement explained: What students should know in 2026
The Nigerian government introduced the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) in 2023 to expand access to tertiary education and reduce financial pressure on students and their sponsors. The fund was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act 2023, later revised in 2024 to clarify eligibility and repayment terms, and formally created NELFUND as the agency responsible for managing and disbursing student loans to qualified Nigerians in public higher institutions. The fund covers two major components: institutional charges and student upkeep. Institutional charges are paid directly to the school, while upkeep support is paid into the student’s personal bank account. So far, the scheme has disbursed ₦184 billion ($136.18 million) to 1.5 million students across 265 institutions. As the 2025/2026 academic cycle reaches its peak, more than 2 million Nigerian higher education students are seeking clarity on payment timelines and repayment terms. This guide breaks down the latest updates from NELFUND to help applicants navigate the portal and secure their academic loans. What to know about the NELFUND disbursement for 2026 Disbursement of student loans for the 2025/2026 academic session is currently ongoing. Applications opened in October 2025 and were initially scheduled to close in January 2026. However, this deadline was moved to February 27, 2026, to give students more time to complete their application. Approved loans are being released in batches; the fund scheme disclosed in February 2026 that it disbursed almost ₦400 million ($295,000) in student loans to Delta State University, Abraka. NELFUND typically aims to disburse funds within 30 days of receiving an approved application. However, the timeline for payment depends on how quickly institutions confirm student enrollment and upload fee details. Once verification is complete and approval is granted, institutional fees are paid directly to schools, while upkeep allowances are transferred to students. If an application still shows as pending, it may mean that verification or internal processing is still in progress. Are you qualified to apply for NELFUND? The scheme is currently available to Nigerian students who are studying or desire to study in federal higher institutions, including public universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, or vocational schools in Nigeria. Students can apply for the loan in each academic cycle, and repayment begins two years after completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Loan amounts are not fixed because tuition varies across schools. The amount covered under institutional charges depends on the official fee structure submitted and verified by each institution. Students may also apply for upkeep support of up to ₦20,000 ($14.79) monthly to assist with living expenses during the academic session. Get The Best African Tech Newsletters In Your Inbox Select your country Nigeria Ghana Kenya South Africa Egypt Morocco Tunisia Algeria Libya Sudan Ethiopia Somalia Djibouti Eritrea Uganda Tanzania Rwanda Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Central African Republic Chad Cameroon Gabon Equatorial Guinea São Tomé and Príncipe Angola Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia Lesotho Eswatini Mozambique Madagascar Mauritius Seychelles Comoros Cape Verde Guinea-Bissau Senegal The Gambia Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia Côte d’Ivoire Burkina Faso Mali Niger Benin Togo Other Select your gender Male Female Others TC Daily TC Events Next wave Entering Tech Subscribe The NELFUND application process To apply, students must register on the official NELFUND portal and create an account before completing their profile. To create an account: Open the NELFUND application portal Confirm your citizenship Verify your student status by inputting your institution and matriculation number Verify your JAMB status by providing your JAMB registration number and date of birth If your National Identification Number (NIN) is not linked to your JAMB profile, you will need to provide it for verification A code will be sent to the email address provided to verify the account, and then your account will be created Complete your profile by providing your contact details, including a valid phone number, a residential address, your State of residence, and your State of Origin. Then you would provide your account details, and your account will be created. To apply for the loan: On the portal’s dashboard, select ‘Loan’ If you wish to apply for the upkeep loan of ₦20,000 ($14.79) monthly, select it You then upload your admission letter (mandatory) and your student ID card Then you will be directed to a page where you will see the total loan amount, and then submit your application Applications for NELFUND’s 2025/2026 disbursement cycle are open until the end of the month, as the scheme continues to expand its reach to ensure no student is left behind. While applying, it is important for accurate documentation and information to be submitted to ensure funds are disbursed in time.
Read MoreNELFUND loan pending? What students should do if they haven’t received payment
If your Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) application is still showing pending, you are not alone. Since the rollout of the student loan scheme in 2024, many applicants across federal and state institutions have reported delays between application, approval, and actual disbursement. Here’s what is happening and what students should do if payment has yet to arrive: Why is your NELFUND loan still pending? A pending status does not automatically mean your application has been rejected. In most cases, it indicates your loan is still within the verification or processing stage. There are three common reasons this occurs. 1. Incomplete institutional verification Before funds are released, your institution must verify your student status and confirm your tuition details with NELFUND. If your school has not completed this step, your application cannot move forward. This is often the biggest bottleneck in the process. Even if you submitted your application early, payment will not be processed until your institution confirms your details. 2. Approval does not mean instant payment Some students see an “approved” status on their dashboard and expect immediate disbursement. However, approval is only one stage of the process. After approval, payments still go through reconciliation between NELFUND, institutions, and financial partners. This creates a gap between approval and when the funds reflect either in your school’s account for tuition or in your personal account for upkeep. 3. Incorrect or incomplete bank details For students receiving upkeep allowances, incorrect bank information can cause delays. If your banking details do not match the records submitted during your application, disbursement may be paused until corrections are made. What students should do if they haven’t received payment 1. Check your dashboard carefully Log in to the official portal and confirm your current status. Whether it reads pending, verified, or approved, avoid submitting a second application for the same academic session. Duplicate entries can complicate your record and slow down processing. 2. Review your information Confirm that your matriculation number, Institution name, course of study and Bank details match exactly what your institution has on file. Even minor inconsistencies can trigger delays. 3. Contact your school directly Reach out to your institution’s bursary, registry, or ICT unit to confirm whether your details have been verified and uploaded correctly to NELFUND. If verification has not been completed on the institution’s end, no payment can proceed. 4. Use official support channels If your loan shows an approved status for an extended period without disbursement, file a complaint through the official NELFUND support channel. Include your application ID and relevant details. Avoid middlemen or unofficial agents. The process is handled directly between the applicant, the institution, and NELFUND. Get The Best African Tech Newsletters In Your Inbox Select your country Nigeria Ghana Kenya South Africa Egypt Morocco Tunisia Algeria Libya Sudan Ethiopia Somalia Djibouti Eritrea Uganda Tanzania Rwanda Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Central African Republic Chad Cameroon Gabon Equatorial Guinea São Tomé and Príncipe Angola Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia Lesotho Eswatini Mozambique Madagascar Mauritius Seychelles Comoros Cape Verde Guinea-Bissau Senegal The Gambia Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia Côte d’Ivoire Burkina Faso Mali Niger Benin Togo Other Select your gender Male Female Others TC Daily TC Events Next wave Entering Tech Subscribe What if you already paid your tuition? Some students paid their school fees out of pocket while waiting for disbursement. In such cases, institutions are expected to reconcile payments once NELFUND releases the funds. Keep your payment receipts and confirm with your bursary department whether your name is listed among the beneficiaries. Ask about the refund or adjustment process in your school. Documentation will be important in this situation. The bottom line A pending NELFUND status usually signals a processing gap, not a failed application. In most cases, the delay sits at the institutional verification stage or within post-approval reconciliation. Students who take the following three deliberate steps tend to resolve issues faster: Confirm their application details are accurate. Follow up directly with their institution’s bursary or ICT unit. Escalate through official NELFUND support if approval has stalled without payment. The system is still evolving, and administrative bottlenecks are part of that reality. What matters is knowing where the delay is likely coming from and responding strategically rather than reactively. Clarity, documentation, and consistent follow-up usually make the difference between waiting indefinitely and getting answers.
Read More“I had no assumptions. I was just building:” Day 1-1000 of Selar
In 2025, Selar, an e-commerce startup that helps creators sell products, paid out over ₦18 billion ($12.8 million) to its African users. While the numbers might look good in isolation, the added context that this came within a decade of the startup’s launch and is almost double 2024’s ₦9 billion ($6.6 million) in payouts shows how far the bootstrapped startup has come. Like many African startups, reaching these milestones was far from straightforward. Douglas Kendyson, the company’s founder and CEO, told TechCabal that when he launched the business, he had no fixed blueprint for what it would become. Instead, constant user feedback shaped the startup’s direction and evolution. “When I started Selar in 2016, I did not have a grand thesis about the market. I didn’t sit down and write out, “Creators will do X, and customers will do Y, and therefore we’ll win,” he said. “The best thing about those early days was that I was not boxed in by what I thought the market “should” be. I was just building something I wanted to exist and then improving it based on what people told me,” he added. The first 100 days: “Wait, users, don’t just show up?” Selar’s first customer did not come from Nigeria. They came from France. The very first user Kendyson set up was his friend after he released an extended playlist (EP) of songs, and after a little convincing from Kennedy, he listed it on Selar. “Guy, come. Put it on Selar. Let people support you,” Kendyson told his friend. At the time, the logic was that people would have listened to his music anyway, but with Selar, they could back him financially. “That was the first ‘sale’ strategy I understood. People don’t just want to consume; they want to support,” Kendyson said. But after successfully bringing in his friend, reality hit fast. “Where are the rest of the people? Who is going to bring them?” he thought to himself within the first 100 days of Selar. At the start, all Selar employees were engineers. While they were good at shipping products, nobody was responsible for distribution. Nobody owned growth. According to Kennedy, one of the first brutal lessons in the first 100 days was that sales and marketing are not vibes. “People do not just come because you built something,” he said. He tried everything he could. He turned other friends into customers. He built a community. But by the third year, the problem was still there despite Kendyson’s efforts at building and doing outreach, hoping people would find Selar. “I cared about users, but my default setting was to keep refining, keep improving, and keep shipping. Then surely everything will click. That’s a very engineer-like way to think,” Kendyson said. Cheap hires and expensive lessons Selar’s first hires were cheap, but they taught Kendyson an expensive lesson. In early 2020, he hired two social media employees to post content for Selar and paid them ₦20,000 ($52) each. He thought that with two junior people, things would improve, and they would figure it out. Then in January 2021, he hired his first engineer, a junior developer, largely to keep costs down. He assumed that because he could write code himself, managing and supervising the hire would be straightforward. He quickly learned otherwise. Before the year ran out, Kendyson had learnt the real price of hiring juniors too early. “When you hire too junior across key roles, you pay with your time,” he said. He spent too much time iterating, reviewing, rewriting, and giving feedback. “It becomes a loop. You save money, but you lose weeks. And your time is not free, especially as a founder.” He knew he had to find a balance. Even though it was difficult, he increased his budget and fired the junior employees. “The alternative was me drowning in oversight,” Kendyson said. The rebirth of Selar started in Dubai Kennedy attributed one of the biggest shifts for Selar to a job that had nothing to do with the startup. In 2018, he moved to Dubai and worked as a growth and software engineer at Sarwa, a fintech company, where he worked closely with the marketing team. Watching how marketing actually works when people take it seriously and how positioning, distribution, partnerships, and repetition compound changed how he built his startup. By 2020, he left the company to apply what he learnt from his time in Dubai. He describes that period as the rebirth of Selar because it was when things began to feel real: “We were finally learning how to move beyond ‘we built something’ to ‘people are actually using it,” he said. One of the main ways Selar tried to solve the customer problem was through social media and cold outreach. At first, Kendyson was messaging people he knew personally. Expectedly, he could not find scale using this method and realised that if he wanted strangers to find him, he needed a distribution method that scaled. “We leaned into cold DMs, more consistent social content, and eventually accepted that ads might be necessary,” he said. The early milestones The milestones Kendyson cared about most in the beginning were revenue milestones. Only cold, hard cash could impress him, and the same still runs true today. The first big milestone was ₦100 million ($74,000) in sales in 2020. While he was happy, he was also in disbelief. Then the next obsession became ₦1 billion ($740,000). Even as Selar hit these milestones, Kennedy could not calm down. “They gave me the most anxiety I’ve ever felt because digital products can be inconsistent,” he said. A creator could have an impressive launch this month, but their sales plummet by next month. This unpredictability seeped into Selar’s business model and affected the startup’s revenue strength. “So even as we grew, I kept thinking. Can I repeat this? Is this sustainable? Are there enough creators? Are there enough launches?” From 2020 to 2024, he carried ‘insane’ anxiety. The more successful Selar got, the
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