After it was discovered that a number of former students had received loans and living stipends months after finishing their education, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) came under heavy criticism.
Some graduates reportedly revealed that they applied for financial aid in their last year of school but were severely delayed. Long after they had left school and paid their fees in different ways, the money was finally released.
“I applied for assistance in my final semester but had to pay my fees myself when no response came,” one graduate recalled. I discovered after I graduated that the school had finally been reimbursed by NELFUND. They suggested that I seek the school for a refund when I got in touch with them. However, how can I ask for a refund as a former student?
He added that he still receives upkeep allowances even after informing NELFUND of his degree. He stated, “I won’t repay the tuition loan—they paid it after I graduated, but I will return the upkeep funds when repayment begins.”
Similar frustrations were voiced by another former University of Benin student. A N20,000 upkeep alert and the news that my loan had recently been authorised arrived months after I had left school. This demonstrates the system’s glaring inefficiency,” he remarked.
Parents who are worried are also speaking up. According to Mr. Ibrahim, whose son graduated two months ago, his son continues to get financial support. He remarked, “We don’t know how to stop it.”
These issues have raised widespread worries about mismanagement. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) reported that out of the N100 billion disbursed, only N28.8 billion really reached pupils. The remaining N71.2 billion is still missing.
Additional worries over purported collaboration between were voiced by the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
CREDIT: ALLSCHOOL, Allschoolabs
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