The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has warned tertiary institutions against delaying or refusing to refund tuition fees paid by students before the disbursement of student loans, while also raising concerns over arbitrary increases in school charges.
The agency said such practices undermine the objective of the Student Loan Scheme, which was established to remove financial barriers to higher education rather than create additional burdens for students and their families.
NELFUND raises concern
In a statement issued on Monday, NELFUND said it had received reports that some institutions were withholding refunds due to students whose tuition had already been paid before the loan disbursements were made.
“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 said.
Agency begins engagement with schools
NELFUND said it had commenced engagements with the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that eligible students receive their refunds without delay.
The Fund also stressed that institutional charges must remain fair, transparent and consistent with the objectives of the student loan programme.
According to the agency, it will not tolerate any action that places unnecessary financial pressure on beneficiaries of the scheme.
Students advised to engage institutions
The development follows reports that some students who paid their tuition out of pocket before receiving loan approval have struggled to recover their money after NELFUND paid the same fees directly to their institutions.
Although the agency did not identify the institutions involved, it said targeted interventions were already underway.
NELFUND advised affected students to continue engaging their institutions while efforts to resolve the issue continue.