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.

What NELFUND is saying

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.

• “The Student Loan Scheme, an initiative of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, was established to remove financial barriers to higher education, not to create additional burdens for Nigerian students,” she said in the statement.

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.

• “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 statement said.

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.

More insights

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.

What you should know

NELFUND’s condemnation is coming months after it identified N927.98 million unpaid student upkeep arrears.

• Earlier this year, Nairametrics reported that the NELFUND had identified N927.98 million in unpaid upkeep allowances owed to 11,685 students following a reconciliation exercise carried out after the 2024/2025 academic session.
• The Fund’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed in Abuja while briefing journalists on the progress, impact, and challenges of the student loan scheme.

Sawyerr said the outstanding payments were caused by technical and operational challenges, including failed transactions, network downtime, and unvalidated bank account details.