Nigeria’s students’ apex body, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Tuesday raised concerns over the persistent failure of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to resolve the long-standing issue of unpaid and delayed Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) allowances, a situation it said continues to affect students across different levels of tertiary institutions nationwide.
The association lamented that the problem has endured for several years, leaving thousands of students who participated in the mandatory SIWES programme without their statutory entitlements, despite fulfilling all requirements attached to the scheme.
Comr. Adejuwon Olatunji Emmanuel, the Assistant Secretary General of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Headquarters, made this known in a statement in Lagos, noting that repeated appeals by students and relevant stakeholders have failed to yield meaningful results.
According to the statement, “Despite repeated complaints, petitions, and engagements by students’ unions and stakeholders, the situation has remained largely unresolved, subjecting students to undue hardship and eroding confidence in an intervention programme designed to support skill acquisition and workforce development.”
NANS further expressed concern over what it described as a lack of transparency from the management of the ITF on the status of the outstanding allowances owed to students nationwide.
“We note with concern that under the leadership of the Director-General of ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, there has been no clear, transparent, or comprehensive explanation to Nigerian students regarding the status of these outstanding payments,” the statement said.
The association added that the handling of the matter raises broader questions about accountability within the agency charged with administering the scheme.
“The continued silence, poor communication, and lack of accountability surrounding SIWES disbursements raise serious questions about administrative efficiency and institutional responsibility within the ITF,” it stated.
While stopping short of making definitive accusations, NANS said allegations circulating among affected students concerning possible mismanagement of SIWES funds require urgent clarification from the appropriate authorities.
“While we do not pre-empt the outcome of any investigation, the widespread allegations of fund mismanagement and diversion circulating among affected students are deeply troubling and demand urgent clarification. The Federal Government owes Nigerian students an obligation of transparency, especially on matters involving public funds earmarked for education and youth development.”
The Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme was established as a core component of Nigeria’s tertiary education framework to provide students with practical industrial exposure and enhance their employability, with the ITF responsible for funding and supervision of the programme.
In view of the prolonged delays, the association called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene by ordering a comprehensive audit and investigation into the management of SIWES funds over the years.
“Pending the outcome of such an investigation, it is in the interest of institutional integrity and public confidence that the leadership of the ITF be reviewed,” the statement added.
NANS stressed that continued non-payment of allowances undermines the objectives of the scheme and places additional financial pressure on students.
“Nigerian students should not continue to suffer for administrative failures. SIWES is not a privilege; it is a statutory entitlement. Any system that consistently denies students this right has failed its mandate,” the association emphasised.
