NELFUND slams institutions delaying tuition refunds to students after loan disbursement
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has condemned some tertiary institutions for delaying or outrightly refusing to refund students whose tuition fees were already paid before NELFUND’s loan disbursements were processed.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has condemned some tertiary institutions for delaying or outrightly refusing to refund students whose tuition fees were already paid before NELFUND’s loan disbursements were processed.
The condemnation was contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.
She also flagged concerns over reports that some institutions have arbitrarily increased tuition fees and other charges.
Oluwatuyi said the student loan scheme, which was introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu, was designed to eliminate the financial barriers to higher education faced by Nigerians, and not to create extra problems for the very students it was designed to support.
Oluwatuyi said the agency is currently working with affected institutions and relevant stakeholders to ensure that eligible students are refunded for tuition fees they personally paid before receiving their loan disbursements.
Oluwatuyi said the engagement is also aimed at ensuring that tuition fees and other institutional charges remain fair, transparent and consistent with the broader objectives of the loan scheme.
Oluwatuyi reaffirmed NELFUND’s commitment to protecting the interests of students and preserving the integrity of the scheme.
Her statement signals that the agency views the alleged conduct by some institutions as a threat to public confidence in the programme.
The NELFUND scheme was established in April 2024 as part of the Tinubu administration’s broader effort to expand access to tertiary education by removing upfront financial barriers for students who would otherwise struggle to pay tuition fees.
NELFUND’s condemnation is coming months after it identified N927.98 million unpaid student upkeep arrears.
Sawyerr said the outstanding payments were caused by technical and operational challenges, including failed transactions, network downtime, and unvalidated bank account details.
