ABUJA — The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has condemned what it described as unethical practices by some tertiary institutions accused of withholding tuition refunds meant for students and arbitrarily increasing school fees despite receiving payments under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the agency had received reports that several institutions failed to refund students who had already paid their tuition before NELFUND later settled the same fees directly with the schools.
The Fund also raised concerns over what it described as unjustified increases in tuition and other institutional charges, warning that such actions undermine the objectives of the student loan programme.
According to NELFUND, the Student Loan Scheme, introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was designed to remove financial barriers to higher education—not to create additional financial burdens for students.
The agency disclosed that it has begun engaging the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that all eligible students receive their refunds without further delay.
NELFUND added that measures are also being implemented to ensure that tuition and other institutional charges remain fair, transparent, and consistent with the goals of the scheme.
“NELFUND remains committed to protecting the interests of students and preserving the integrity of this landmark national intervention,” Oluwatuyi said.
He reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to safeguarding the credibility of the student loan programme and ensuring that beneficiaries enjoy the full benefits of the Federal Government’s education financing initiative without being subjected to exploitative practices by tertiary institutions.
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