The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has warned tertiary institutions accused of delaying or refusing to refund students who paid their tuition before receiving support under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
In a public notice released on Monday, the Fund also criticised reports of arbitrary increases in tuition fees and other institutional charges, saying such actions go against the purpose of the student loan programme.
According to NELFUND, some institutions have failed to refund students even after the Fund paid their tuition fees directly to the schools.
“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 explained that the student loan scheme was created to make higher education more accessible and should not become an additional financial burden for 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,” the Fund stated.
NELFUND said it is already working with the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that eligible students receive their refunds and that tuition fees and other 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,” it said.
The Fund also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the interests of students and maintaining confidence in the student loan programme.
“NELFUND remains committed to protecting the interests of students and preserving the integrity of this landmark national intervention,” the statement added.
The latest action follows complaints from beneficiaries who said they had not received refunds after NELFUND paid their tuition fees directly to their institutions. Some students have also reported delays in processing the refunds despite confirmation that the schools had already received the payments.
The Federal Government’s student loan scheme was introduced to improve access to higher education by providing interest-free loans to eligible students in public tertiary institutions. Under the programme, NELFUND pays tuition fees directly to schools, while approved upkeep allowances are paid into the bank accounts of beneficiaries.
NELFUND has repeatedly reminded institutions that students who paid their tuition before the Fund made payments on their behalf are entitled to full refunds. Its latest notice signals a stronger effort to ensure schools comply with the policy and protect the integrity of the programme.
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