Implications of Sidelining Private Tertiary Institutions from NELFund on Tertiary Education in Nigeria: A Multiple-Case Study in the Era of JAMB “No JAMB” Policy

This study examined the implications of sidelining private tertiary institutions from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund on tertiary education in Nigeria, particularly in the context of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board [JAMB] 11th May 2026 “No JAMB” policy for Colleges of Education and Agriculture. Adopting a qualitative multiple-case study design, data were collected from six purposively selected accredited private institutions across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones: Al-Qalam University, Northwest; Mumuye College of Education, Northeast; Lens Polytechnic, North-Central; Madonna University, Southeast; Assurance College of Education, South-South; and Osun College of Management Science, Southwest. A total of 201 participants comprising 30 management staff and 171 students were engaged through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and documentary analysis between January 2024 and March 2026. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Pearson correlation in SPSS v27, and thematic analysis in NVivo 14. Findings revealed an average 23.4% decline in enrolment between 2023-2025, with polytechnics and colleges of education most affected at 30.5% and 32.6% respectively in Lens Polytechnic and Osun College of Management Science. Despite the JAMB “No JAMB” policy, mean score of 2.41 showed minimal impact on admission, as 78% of students cited lack of NELFund access as the primary barrier. A strong correlation r=0.72, p<0.01 confirmed that NELFund access directly predicts enrolment intention. All institutions reported 100% dependence on tuition, leading to salary delays, program suspension, and staff attrition. The study concludes that exclusion from NELFund creates an equity deficit and policy implementation gap that threatens skills and teacher education. It recommends amending the NELFund Act 2023 to include all accredited private institutions, establishing direct payment conduits, and creating a special loan window for COEs and Agriculture programs to ensure inclusive access and sustainable tertiary education in Nigeria. [NELFund].