The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has launched a crackdown on tertiary institutions accused of withholding tuition refunds to students and imposing arbitrary fee increases despite benefiting from the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
The Fund said it had received complaints that some universities, polytechnics and colleges were refusing or delaying the refund of tuition fees paid by students before NELFUND subsequently settled the same fees directly with the institutions.
In a public notice issued on Monday, the Director of Strategic Communications at NELFUND, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, described the practices as unethical and contrary to the objectives of the student loan programme.
According to the Fund, affected students had personally paid their tuition before their education loans were approved and disbursed. However, rather than refund the duplicate payments, some institutions allegedly retained the funds or delayed reimbursement without justification.
NELFUND said such actions deprive students of resources that could be used to meet other educational and living expenses while undermining confidence in the government’s education financing initiative.
Concern Over Rising Tuition Charges
Beyond the issue of refunds, the Fund also expressed concern over what it described as arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges by some higher institutions.
It warned that imposing additional fees on students while benefiting from the student loan programme defeats the purpose of the scheme, which was established to ease access to higher education rather than create new financial burdens.
The student loan initiative, introduced under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is designed to remove financial barriers to tertiary education by providing eligible Nigerian students with access to interest-free education loans.
NELFUND disclosed that it has commenced engagement with the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that all eligible students receive their tuition refunds without further delay.
The agency added that discussions are also ongoing to ensure that tuition fees and other institutional charges remain fair, transparent and consistent with the objectives of the student loan programme.
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Reaffirming its commitment to beneficiaries, the Fund said it would continue to safeguard the interests of students and preserve the integrity of 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 agency stated.
It reiterated its resolve to ensure that beneficiaries receive the full benefits of the Federal Government’s education financing initiative and are not subjected to exploitative practices by institutions participating in the scheme.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.