Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has warned tertiary institutions against delaying or refusing to refund students who paid their tuition fees before the disbursement of student loans.
Gatekeepers News reports that the agency also condemned what it described as arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges, saying such practices undermine the objectives of the federal government’s student loan programme.
In a statement issued by its Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, NELFUND said it had received reports that some institutions were withholding refunds from eligible students despite receiving tuition payments through the loan scheme.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) 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.
NELFUND said the student loan initiative, introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu, was created to remove financial barriers to higher education and should not become an avenue for placing additional financial burdens on students.
“It was established to remove financial barriers to higher education, not to create additional burdens for Nigerian students,” the agency stated.
The fund said it is engaging affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that eligible students receive the refunds due to them and that fees charged by tertiary institutions remain fair and transparent.
NELFUND reaffirmed its commitment to protecting students’ interests and preserving the integrity of the student loan programme.
