The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has commenced action against tertiary institutions accused of withholding tuition fee refunds due to students under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, warning that it is engaging affected schools and relevant authorities to ensure full compliance.
The Fund also condemned reports of arbitrary increases in tuition fees and other institutional charges, describing such practices as inconsistent with the objectives of the student loan programme.
In a public notice issued on Monday, NELFUND said it had received reports that some tertiary institutions had delayed or refused to refund students who paid their tuition fees before the Fund subsequently disbursed the same fees directly to the institutions on their behalf.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has noted with concern reports of some tertiary institutions delaying or refusing to refund students whose tuition fees had already been paid before NELFUND disbursements, as well as arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges,” the statement read.
The Fund stressed that the student loan scheme, introduced under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was established to eliminate financial barriers to higher education and should not be exploited to impose additional burdens on students.
“The Student Loan Scheme, an initiative of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was established to remove financial barriers to higher education, not to create additional burdens for Nigerian students,” it stated.
NELFUND disclosed that it had begun engagements with the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that eligible students receive their refunds promptly and that tuition and other institutional charges remain fair and transparent.
“NELFUND is engaging the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that due refunds are made to eligible students and that institutional charges remain fair, transparent, and consistent with the objectives of the Scheme,” the Fund said.
It reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the interests of students and preserving public confidence in what it described as a landmark national intervention.
“NELFUND remains committed to protecting the interests of students and preserving the integrity of this landmark national intervention,” the statement added.
The latest intervention follows growing complaints from beneficiaries of the student loan scheme that some tertiary institutions have failed to refund tuition fees paid before NELFUND settled the same obligations directly with the schools. Students have also raised concerns over delays in processing the refunds despite confirmation that the institutions had already received the payments from the Fund.
The student loan scheme is one of the Federal Government’s flagship education financing initiatives aimed at expanding access to higher education through interest-free loans for eligible students in public tertiary institutions. Under the programme, NELFUND pays approved tuition fees directly to institutions, while upkeep allowances are paid into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
Since the commencement of disbursements, NELFUND has consistently maintained that students who paid their tuition before the Fund intervened are entitled to full refunds once payments are made to their institutions. Monday’s notice signals a tougher enforcement approach by the agency as it seeks to prevent abuses capable of undermining confidence in the programme and ensuring that students receive the full benefits of the initiative.
