The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has cautioned tertiary institutions against refusal to disburse student loans for student who lacks the financial capacity to pay yet still demands payment of tuition fees from them.
A statement by the Akintunde Sawyerr, the Managing Director of NELFUND said that investigation by the Fund showed that some institutions neglected to notify student who have not paid their tuition fees after receiving student loan disbursements in their accounts.
Also, he noted that the students whose tuition fees have been paid are facing technical issues with their student’ portals.
According to Sawyerr, “this act of withholding critical financial information from students is not only unethical but a direct violation of the principles upon which NELFUND was established.”
He explained that the Fund would not hesitate to take legal action against any institution found engaging in such deceptive practices.
Emphasising that NELFUND’s mission is to enable and expand the accessibility of higher education by relieving the financial burden on Nigerian students and their families, Sawyerr further urged all institutions to uphold transparency and work collaboratively with the Fund in ensuring the efficient delivery of this national mandate.
“NELFUND exists to ensure no eligible Nigerian is denied the opportunity to pursue higher education due to lack of funds. We urge institutions to support this noble cause and avoid any actions that could undermine public trust or deny students their rightful support.”
The Fund, however, reassures students and the public of its commitment to accountability, fairness, and the successful implementation of the student loan scheme across the country.
