Beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund in Abia and Imo states have praised the programme for reducing the cost of tertiary education but called for faster payments, greater transparency and improved communication.
Students, parents and education stakeholders said NELFUND had enabled many young Nigerians to remain in school despite rising tuition fees and other financial pressures.
They, however, identified delayed upkeep allowances, slow tuition refunds and limited public awareness as challenges that could weaken confidence in the student loan programme.
Beneficiary Calls for Real-Time Payment Tracking
An undergraduate beneficiary, Destiny James, said his loan application was approved on January 10 and that he later received a refund for tuition fees he had already paid.
James said the monthly ₦20,000 upkeep allowance was not paid consistently, with several outstanding months eventually settled in a single payment.
According to him, the delay affected students who needed the money for textbooks, transportation and other academic requirements.
He urged NELFUND to publish clearer information showing which applicants had been verified, who had received payments and why some applications remained pending.
James also proposed a real-time tracking system through which students could monitor their application, verification and disbursement status.
Loan Described as Lifeline for Students
Chidinma Okeke, a 300-level student at a state-owned university, described the education loan as an important intervention for students from financially disadvantaged households.
She said the scheme reduced the pressure on her parents to provide tuition fees and allowed her to focus more effectively on her studies.
Okeke appealed to the fund’s administrators to ensure regular payment of upkeep allowances so beneficiaries could meet feeding, transportation and educational expenses.
A parent, Ngozi Eze, also said the programme had provided substantial relief to her family amid the increasing cost of university education.
She praised the Federal Government for establishing NELFUND but called for more frequent updates on applications and payments.
Eze said improved communication would reduce uncertainty among students and parents while strengthening public trust in the scheme.
Calls for Accountability From Institutions
Civil servant Ikenna Ebiri-Okoro described NELFUND as a valuable initiative that had covered tuition and provided upkeep support to many students.
He, however, expressed concern about tertiary institutions that delayed refunding students who had paid school fees before receiving NELFUND support.
Ebiri-Okoro said affected institutions had a responsibility to return the money promptly because students and their families often borrowed funds to meet registration deadlines.
According to him, delayed refunds deprived families of money needed for accommodation, books, food and other essential expenses.
He called on the Federal Government to establish firm refund deadlines, publish institutional compliance records and introduce penalties for schools that fail to reimburse students.
MOUAU Begins Refunding Students
The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, has announced that it has begun refunding tuition payments made by students before the release of their NELFUND loans.
Vice-Chancellor Ursula Akanwa said she instructed the university’s bursar to begin the reimbursement process immediately.
Akanwa explained that several students and parents had borrowed money or made personal financial arrangements to pay tuition before registration portals closed.
She said the university had no right to retain duplicate payments after receiving tuition funds from the Federal Government on behalf of the students.
The vice-chancellor described NELFUND as beneficial to students, parents and tertiary institutions.
She disclosed that more than 12,000 students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture had benefited from the student loan programme.
According to her, cases of students struggling to pay tuition had reduced as the university continued encouraging eligible applicants to use the scheme.
University Promises Transparent Refund Process
MOUAU’s Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Anyaso Anyaso, confirmed that steps had been taken to ensure affected students received their refunds.
He said the institution was committed to transparency in administering the education loan programme and protecting the interests of beneficiaries.
A beneficiary, Patrick Kalu, said the scheme had helped prevent many students from abandoning their education.
Kalu said some of his colleagues might have dropped out during their first or second year without the financial assistance provided through NELFUND.
He also expressed satisfaction that he could recover part of the personal funds he spent on his academic project.
A parent, Chijindu Okoro, praised both the Federal Government and MOUAU for supporting students and commencing the refund process.
He said the intervention had made higher education more accessible to families struggling with rising costs.
NANS Seeks More Awareness in Imo
In Imo State, the National Association of Nigerian Students called for a wider public education campaign on how the NELFUND programme operates.
NANS Public Relations Officer for Zone F, Pius Ogbuehi, said many students were benefiting from the loan, while others continued to complain about delayed tuition reimbursements.
Ogbuehi cited the case of Miriam Nkemakolam, a student of Imo State University, who reportedly had not received a refund for tuition paid during the 2024–2025 academic session.
He called on tertiary institutions with outstanding reimbursements to update their payment records and ensure qualified students received their funds.
The NANS official also said many students remained unaware of the programme and were therefore unable to apply.
He urged the Federal Government, schools and student organisations to increase sensitisation across campuses.
Students Remain Uncertain About Repayment
Former Imo State University Students’ Union Government President Chidera Okparaji confirmed that students were receiving NELFUND support.
He, however, said he could not confirm whether beneficiaries at the university were receiving the monthly ₦20,000 upkeep allowance.
Okparaji called for greater awareness to encourage more students to apply and help the programme’s administrators improve disbursement.
Federal Polytechnic Nekede SUG President Desmond Nwosu said many students at the institution were already benefiting from the fund.
Nwosu confirmed that beneficiaries were receiving monthly upkeep payments but said some students remained reluctant to apply because they did not fully understand the loan process.
He said concerns about repayment had made some prospective applicants uncomfortable with the programme.
Nwosu urged the Federal Government and tertiary institutions to provide clearer explanations about eligibility, disbursement and repayment conditions.
According to him, improved education about the scheme would increase participation and build students’ confidence in the process.
Alvan Ikoku University Reports Successful Implementation
The Public Relations Officer of Imo State University, Onyekachi Nwaozo, declined to comment on the programme when contacted.
However, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education spokesperson Nnaemeka Ijioma said NELFUND had been successfully implemented at the institution.
Ijioma said information from the university’s bursary department showed that claims of unpaid NELFUND student loans were inaccurate.
He advised students who paid tuition before their loans were disbursed to submit formal refund applications to the bursary department.
According to him, applying through the bursary office is the approved process for securing reimbursement.
Beneficiaries and stakeholders maintained that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund could significantly expand access to tertiary education if payment delays, transparency concerns and limited awareness were effectively addressed.
