Condemnation over NELFUND loans disbursed to graduates – Newstrends
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Condemnation over NELFUND loans disbursed to graduates

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Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr

Condemnation over NELFUND loans disbursed to graduates

The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is under fire after a wave of graduates came forward to reveal they received student loans and upkeep payments months after finishing their studies.

“I applied for the loan when I was desperate to pay my final-year tuition,” said one ex-student. “The approval came long after I had scraped the money together myself. I’d already graduated when I saw that NELFUND had paid the school.”

He added, “They told me to ask the school for a refund. But how do I request that when I’m no longer a student? Worse, I still receive upkeep payments despite notifying them of my graduation. I’ll repay the upkeep, but not the tuition—NELFUND paid it too late.”

A graduate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) shared a similar story. “I applied before my final exams, waited months, nothing happened. Then last month, I suddenly received N20,000 as upkeep and was told my loan had just been approved. I’d already graduated. It’s a mess.”

Parents are also speaking out. Mr Ibrahim, whose son graduated two months ago, said, “He’s still receiving money from NELFUND. We don’t know how to stop it. We just want it sorted.”

Originally launched to relieve financial pressure on students, the loan scheme is now facing accusations of inefficiency, mismanagement, and possible corruption.

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has opened an investigation into the matter. Preliminary findings are damning while NELFUND reportedly disbursed N100 billion, only N28.8 billion reached students. A staggering N71.2 billion is currently unaccounted for.

Further claims suggest some schools and banks may have colluded to delay payments, skimming off administrative charges between N3,500 and N30,000 per student.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have condemned the chaos. NANS is now threatening nationwide protests.

“This is a disgrace. Students deserve better,” NANS said in a statement.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) also weighed in. Its National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the union is awaiting the outcome of the ICPC’s probe and wants those responsible held accountable.

Attempts to reach NELFUND’s Director of Corporate Communications, Mr Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

 

Condemnation over NELFUND loans disbursed to graduates

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JAMB fixes mop-up UTME date for 96,838 candidates

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JAMB fixes mop-up UTME date for 96,838 candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed the date for 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) mop-up exercise.

A statement signed by JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin on Sunday, disclosed that the examination will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025.

According to the statement, the examination will accommodate 96,838 candidates, including 5,096 spill-over candidates and those who failed biometric verification during the main exercise, as well as 91,742 candidates who were absent in the main and resit examinations.

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JAMB urged candidates to commence printing their examination notification slips from Monday, June 23, 2025.

It noted that the examination will be conducted in 183 centers across the nation, with strict security measures in place to prevent examination malpractice.

The statement added that in a bid to crack down on examination malpractices, JAMB has delisted or suspended 113 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers implicated in sharp practices.

The board also appreciated security agencies, including the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their efforts in investigating and prosecuting culprits.

JAMB fixes mop-up UTME date for 96,838 candidates

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JAMB: 11 CBT centres, registrants to face sanction over fingerprints

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Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede

JAMB: 11 CBT centres, registrants to face sanction over fingerprints

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recommended tough penalties for 11 Computer‑Based Test (CBT) centres and their registrants involved in fingerprint irregularities during registration for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this known after a brainstorming session with some critical stakeholders following a meeting with the affected CBT centres and registrants on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the measures, which still require the approval of Education Minister, Dr Maruf  Tunji  Alausa, are intended to protect the integrity of the examination process.

“The leadership of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board with some critical stakeholders here recommended that any registrant who registered more than 50 candidates (with infractions) should be dismissed from participating in any activities of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

“And what that means is that such a person will not participate in any UTME exercise, will not be registered for the UTME even as a student, and will not be allowed to participate in any of the sister examinations, be it WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB, and this is to be for three years.

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“The suspension is to stay for three years. After three years, the Board will revisit it and look at the issue. If the registrant has shown any remorse, such a suspension could be lifted.

“And others who have registered less than 50 will be warned and they will be required to write a letter of apology to the Board after issuing a bond, indicating that they will not be involved in such a thing again.

“Then for CBT centres, all CBT centres involved are to be warned and then asked to sign a bond. And beside the bond, they will also be required to give evidence of training of their registrants.

“And that training should be anchored by any of the federal universities within their vicinity. That training should be anchored by the appropriate department of the university within their vicinity,”  Oloyede said through JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, who read out the recommendations.”

Throwing more light on the recommendations, Oloyede said the Board will not entertain any infraction from the affected centres in the future despite their claim of ignorance, hence, the need for them to undergo necessary training in federal universities closest to them before they can be re-engaged by JAMB.

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“We will not allow any of these centres to do anything with us until they bring a certificate, a letter from a federal institution closest to that centre that their staff had been trained on ethical standards.

“But for the centres, those that are owned by the federal government, the reports will be made to the authorities that this is what your agency did,” Oloyede said.

Earlier, most of the affected registrants and some CBT operators who confessed engaging in candidate’s finger contribution during the registration process, hinged the act on ignorance or the need to get more people registered in their centres, even as many broke down in tears and pleaded for leniency.

One of the stakeholders at the meeting and former Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the actions of the affected registrants warrant prosecution and possible jail term,  but appealed to JAMB to forgive and make them sign undertaking not to engage in such infraction in the future.

Earlier, an official of Jicoras CBT Centre, Bashir Gumel, said the centre has already commenced an internal probe on the involvement of its registrants, saying the outcome will be forwarded to JAMB.

 

JAMB: 11 CBT centres, registrants to face sanction over fingerprints

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JAMB finalising arrangements for mop-up UTME – Registrar

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JAMB finalising arrangements for mop-up UTME – Registrar

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is set to announce the date for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) mop-up examination.

The examination will cater to candidates who missed the initial test due to various reasons, including biometric issues during verification and those registered for foreign centres.

According to the information in JAMB’s Bulletin release on Monday, JAMB management is finalising arrangements, and the date is expected to be confirmed within this month.

The Board advised affected candidates to await official announcements and disregard unverified social media posts.

“Candidates are advised to disregard any social media posts suggesting specific dates. The Board will make an official announcement once the date is confirmed,” the Bulletin said.

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Recall that JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a meeting with key stakeholders to address the challenges encountered during the 2025 UTME, announced that the mop-up examination with accommodate the estimated 5.6 per cent of candidates who missed the examination.

He said that the board had extended the opportunity to all the affected candidates, regardless of the reasons for their absence.

“Normally, we hold one mop-up nationwide for those with one issue or the other.

“But this time, we are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier examination due to absence, we will extend this opportunity to them.

“It is not that we are doing something extraordinary; in class, you make up an examination when students miss it for one reason or the other; we just don’t allow abuse of that.

“So we will allow all the candidates who missed the main examination for any reason to take part in this mop-up,” he said.

JAMB finalising arrangements for mop-up UTME – Registrar

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