The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has cautioned tertiary institutions against withholding students’ loans while making them to pay tuition fees.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, Akintunde Sawyerr, the managing director of NELFUND, said investigation by the agency showed that some institutions neglected to notify students who have not paid their tuition fees after receiving loan disbursements in their accounts.
Sawyerr added 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 warned that the NELFUND would not hesitate to take legal action against any institution found engaging in such deceptive practices.
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,” he said.
“We urge institutions to support this noble cause and avoid any actions that could undermine public trust or deny students their rightful support.”
He also reassured students and the public of NELFUND’s commitment to accountability, fairness, and the successful implementation of the student loan scheme across the country.
