As disbursements from the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) stall at some universities, students are grappling with mounting financial difficulties, resorting to personal payments to cover tuition fees. The delays in processing refunds have sparked particular concern among final-year students, many of whom have already paid their fees out of pocket and are uncertain whether they will be reimbursed.
Students who receive the NELFUND monthly upkeep stipend of N20,000 are also finding it increasingly difficult to balance living expenses and tuition payments. The stipend is insufficient to cover both, creating additional financial strain and disrupting academic plans, especially for final-year students facing the pressures of completing their studies.
At Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (JOSTUM) Makurdi, students have been receiving the N20,000 monthly upkeep since December 2024, but the university has not provided any updates regarding the disbursement of tuition funds. Despite a N136.7 million allocation from the government, intended to cover the tuition fees of 2,222 students, the university has yet to release these funds, leaving students scrambling to find alternative ways to pay their fees.
The university resumed in January 2025, but students have not received any guidance on whether they should wait for NELFUND disbursements before paying their fees or proceed with registration. Fearful of late registration, many, including final-year students, chose to pay their fees upfront. As a result, their names are listed on the NELFUND beneficiary portal, but they have not received the expected tuition coverage—only the N20,000 monthly upkeep.
One final-year Microbiology student, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared their frustration, stating, “I have only one semester to graduate and have already paid my school fees for this semester. I don’t know what the school plans to do. It’s like we’re already owing the government for money we didn’t benefit from. Are they going to refund what we’ve paid after graduation? I paid over ₦52,000 this semester and have received the monthly allowance of ₦20,000 for over two months. I hope the school clarifies the situation.”
Another student, Elijah, expressed similar frustration, asking, “Some of us have already made the payment, so are we going to get our money back? We’re still waiting for the refund from the school.”
The delays are not isolated to JOSTUM. Students from other institutions, including the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Obafemi Awolowo University, have also lamented their inability to pay school fees despite having received approvals.
However, Comrade Elum Shadrach, the Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union at JOSTUM, reassured students, saying, “We have confirmed with the school management that the funds for school fees have been received. However, the management is currently working on connecting our school account with Remita so that these funds can be reflected.”
NELFUND, a government initiative designed to provide interest-free loans to Nigerian students pursuing higher education, is meant to ease the financial burden on students. Repayment of the loans begins two years after completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), offering graduates a grace period to secure employment and stabilize financially. However, with disbursements delayed, many students are facing increased hardship and uncertainty.
