NANS exposes 43 institutions over alleged failure to refund NELFUND tuition fees

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has accused 43 tertiary institutions across Nigeria of withholding tuition refunds after allegedly receiving duplicate payments from both students and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, released the list of the affected institutions, alleging that the schools collected tuition fees directly from students before later receiving NELFUND disbursements for the same beneficiaries without refunding the initial payments.

According to him, the institutions comprise universities, polytechnics and colleges of education spread across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Afeez said publishing the names of the institutions was aimed at promoting transparency and compelling the affected schools to immediately refund the students’ money.

The institutions listed include Adamawa State University, Mubi; Federal Polytechnic, Mubi; Federal College of Education, Yola; Kaduna State Polytechnic; Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa; Federal University, Dutsin-Ma; University of Education, Akamkpa; University of Uyo; Yobe State University, Damaturu; Federal University, Lafia; Modibbo Adama University, Yola; Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Federal College of Forestry, Plateau State; Federal University of Education, Pankshin; Federal Polytechnic, Nyak; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi; Federal University of Education, Zaria; Imo State University, Owerri; Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin; Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Kano State College of Education and Preliminary Studies; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki; Federal College of Education, Katsina; College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia; University of Ilorin; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; University of Ilesa; Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, Ilese-Ijebu; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Delta State University, Abraka; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; Federal University, Oye-Ekiti; University of Calabar; Rivers State University; Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe; and Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic.

The action by NANS follows a recent public notice issued by NELFUND, which condemned what it described as unethical practices by some tertiary institutions.

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In the statement signed by the Fund’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, NELFUND expressed concern that some institutions had delayed or refused to refund students whose tuition fees had already been paid before the Fund released payments on their behalf. The agency also raised concerns over arbitrary increases in institutional charges.

According to NELFUND, the Student Loan Scheme introduced under the administration of President Bola Tinubu was created to remove financial barriers preventing qualified Nigerians from accessing higher education, rather than creating additional financial burdens for students and their families.

The Fund disclosed that it had commenced engagements with the affected institutions and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that eligible students receive their refunds promptly while also addressing concerns over excessive or unjustified charges.

The Student Loan Scheme, established under the Student Loans Act, began disbursing interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions in 2024 and has since paid billions of naira in tuition and upkeep support to eligible beneficiaries nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed reports alleging that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed the suspension of the recruitment of newly employed staff at NELFUND.

The ministry’s reaction followed media reports quoting NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, as saying that the minister ordered an embargo on employment after dozens of workers were recruited in January 2025.

However, credible sources within the ministry described the reports as false and misleading, insisting that no approval was granted by the NELFUND Board for the recruitment exercise.

According to the sources, the agency’s management neither reviewed nor approved any recruitment plan before the exercise was carried out.

They further disclosed that NELFUND Board Chairman, Jim Ovia, had earlier directed that the recruitment process be halted after a management meeting in Lagos, maintaining that the exercise was unnecessary at the time.

The sources also revealed that the chairman instructed that individuals recruited through the exercise should not be placed on the organisation’s payroll pending a comprehensive review of staffing levels and organisational structure.

Describing the current staffing situation at NELFUND as alarming, ministry officials claimed that nearly 80 per cent of the agency’s workforce is redundant.

According to the officials, the issue was discussed extensively during a recent management meeting where senior leaders agreed that urgent reforms were required to address the redundancy challenge before additional employees could be engaged.

The ministry maintained that the intervention by the Minister of Education was aimed at ensuring transparency, regulatory compliance and the long-term sustainability of the agency.

Despite the ongoing controversy over recruitment, NELFUND continues to implement the Federal Government’s Student Loan Scheme, providing interest-free tuition and upkeep loans to eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions as part of efforts to expand access to higher education.

NANS exposes 43 institutions over alleged failure to refund NELFUND tuition fees

NELFUND, EFCC intensify probe into 34 institutions over alleged unpaid student refunds

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has intensified its investigation into 34 tertiary institutions over allegations that they failed to refund students whose tuition fees were paid twice under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.

The probe, being conducted in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), follows a growing number of complaints from students who claimed they had yet to receive refunds after paying their tuition fees before NELFUND later settled the same fees directly with their institutions.

Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed that the agency had constituted a five-member investigative team comprising operatives of the EFCC, internal auditors and other officials to examine the allegations and determine whether any financial misconduct or administrative lapses occurred.

According to Sawyerr, about 34 institutions are currently under close scrutiny as the agency seeks to ensure transparency, accountability and the protection of beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s education financing initiative.

He explained that the refund challenge resulted from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that the student loan scheme should commence in the middle of an academic session rather than waiting for a new session.

Because the programme began after many institutions had already commenced registration, thousands of students paid their tuition fees from personal savings or borrowed funds to avoid missing academic deadlines while awaiting approval of their loan applications.

When the applications were eventually approved, NELFUND also paid the tuition fees directly to the institutions, resulting in duplicate payments.

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“What happened is that a lot of schools got double payment — some from the students and some from us,” Sawyerr explained.

He noted that institutions which received duplicate payments are responsible for refunding the affected students, stressing that the refund process falls outside NELFUND’s direct control.

“The refund process is entirely out of our hands. It is the recipient of the double payments that is obliged to make refunds to the students,” he said.

According to the NELFUND boss, delays in processing refunds have created financial difficulties for many students, especially those who borrowed money from relatives, friends or financial institutions to pay their tuition while waiting for their loans.

He disclosed that many affected students have submitted complaints not only to NELFUND but also to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), prompting the agency to strengthen its collaboration with anti-corruption authorities.

Sawyerr, however, cautioned against assuming that all institutions deliberately withheld students’ refunds, noting that some schools lacked effective administrative procedures for processing reimbursements.

“Some have been very good at this. Others haven’t been so good at it. I reserve judgment on the intentionality around it because, for some of them, they just didn’t have the process to make refunds,” he said.

Although NELFUND lacks the statutory powers to compel institutions to refund students or prosecute erring officials, Sawyerr expressed confidence that the ongoing collaboration with the EFCC and other oversight agencies would strengthen accountability and ensure that affected students receive their money.

He also revealed that the agency is developing a token-based payment platform that would enable students to authorise tuition payments electronically before funds are transferred directly to their institutions.

According to him, the proposed digital system is designed to eliminate duplicate payments, improve transparency and reduce administrative bottlenecks associated with the current process.

Sawyerr explained that NELFUND deliberately chose not to pay loan funds directly into students’ bank accounts because doing so could expose the programme to the risk of diversion of funds meant for educational purposes.

The NELFUND Managing Director also expressed concern over tuition fee increases by some institutions following the introduction of the student loan scheme.

He disclosed that the agency had refused to honour payment requests from institutions that increased their fees beyond acceptable levels, insisting that public funds should not be used to encourage arbitrary tuition hikes.

As investigations continue, Sawyerr assured students that every reported irregularity would be thoroughly examined, adding that the agency routinely sets up investigative panels whenever concerns are raised in order to strengthen the integrity of the scheme.

The outcome of the ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether the delays in refunding students resulted from administrative shortcomings or deliberate misconduct by any of the affected institutions. It is also expected to shape future reforms aimed at improving the implementation of the student loan scheme, enhancing transparency and safeguarding the interests of Nigerian students.

NELFUND, EFCC intensify probe into 34 institutions over alleged unpaid student refunds

Winpart by CFAO, CFAO Solidarity Advance Child Welfare Through Bethesda Foundation Initiative

Winpart by CFAO, in collaboration with CFAO Solidarity, has reinforced its commitment to community development and social impact by supporting the Bethesda Child Support Foundation, a gesture aimed at expanding care, education and empowerment opportunities for vulnerable children while strengthening sustainable development initiatives across the communities where the CFAO Group operates.

The donation forms part of a broader corporate social responsibility initiative designed to support organisations making measurable differences in the lives of disadvantaged people.

Through the intervention, CFAO Solidarity and Winpart by CFAO presented €7,000 and ₦1 million to the Foundation to bolster its programmes focused on child care, protection, education and holistic development.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the Deputy Managing Director of CFAO Mobility Nigeria, Kunle Jaiyesimi, said the company believes business growth must be accompanied by meaningful contributions to society.

“At CFAO, we believe that business success must go hand in hand with social responsibility. Our support for the Bethesda Child Support Foundation reflects our commitment to backing initiatives that create meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of children and communities,” he said.

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Jaiyesimi noted that the intervention aligns with the company’s broader vision of promoting sustainable community development through strategic partnerships with organisations delivering tangible social impact.

The project is one of several initiatives selected and funded by CFAO Solidarity, the Group’s employee-led solidarity programme, which supports impactful community projects across the countries and communities where CFAO operates. Working with credible partner organisations, the programme seeks to improve the lives of vulnerable populations while driving positive and lasting social change.

Also speaking at the event, the General Manager of Winpart by CFAO, Eric Fantodji, said the company was proud to support an organisation dedicated to giving vulnerable children hope and opportunities for a better future.

“The work being done by the Bethesda Child Support Foundation is truly inspiring. We are honoured to support a cause that provides care, hope and opportunities to children who deserve the chance to build brighter futures. Through CFAO Solidarity, we are proud to be part of a wider movement supporting impactful community projects across our areas of operation,” he said.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Foundation, Olamide Adeleye expressed gratitude to Winpart by CFAO and CFAO Solidarity, describing the support as a significant boost to the Foundation’s mission.

“We are deeply grateful to Winpart by CFAO and CFAO Solidarity for their generosity and belief in our mission. This support will contribute significantly to the welfare, development, and empowerment of the children under our care,” she said.

The initiative further underscores CFAO’s commitment to sustainable development and community engagement, highlighting the value of partnerships between the private sector and social institutions in creating lasting benefits for vulnerable communities.

Through interventions such as this, CFAO Mobility Nigeria and CFAO Solidarity continue to strengthen their commitment to building resilient communities, supporting vulnerable groups and advancing inclusive, sustainable development across the regions where the CFAO Group operates.

Winpart by CFAO, CFAO Solidarity Advance Child Welfare Through Bethesda Foundation Initiative