Tertiary institutions across Nigeria have been called upon to refund students who were charged tuition fees despite receiving support from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The Managing Director of NELFUND made the appeal during the organisation’s first hybrid media engagement held in Abuja, warning that non-compliance by institutions could erode public trust and threaten the long-term sustainability of the programme.
He explained that the student loan scheme, launched in May 2024, was fast-tracked in response to rising student dropouts due to economic hardship. The urgent rollout, however, led to timing issues with some academic calendars and institutional deadlines, causing some students to pay fees upfront—often through personal loans—before the fund later disbursed the same fees to the institutions.
“In such cases, schools are morally and professionally obligated to refund the students. Some institutions have complied, but others have not, leaving many students in distress,” he said.
The issue has drawn attention from anti-corruption agencies, following student complaints and media reports. He stressed that institutions unwilling to refund students directly should return the disbursed funds to NELFUND so that the affected students can be reimbursed.
“There are students out there desperately trying to start their lives, and some institutions are making it harder for them. I appeal to all schools—do the right thing,” he said.
He also warned that misleading reporting or lack of accountability could discourage private sector investment, which is vital to the fund’s future operations.
“This is not just about financing education. It’s a national transformation effort. We must not let false narratives derail a scheme that is already giving hope to thousands,” he added.
As proof of its transparency, NELFUND pointed to its daily-updated public dashboard, which it says is designed to build trust and reassure potential investors of the programme’s integrity.
On broader skills development, NELFUND’s Executive Director of Operations disclosed that the fund is working with the Ministry of Education to support the rollout of the new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative. The programme, which currently runs on a grant basis, has received close to one million applications. NELFUND will later provide loan-based support to ensure its long-term sustainability.
