NELFUND Investigates 34 Schools Over Tuition Refund Issues

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has initiated an investigation into 34 tertiary institutions for allegedly failing to refund students who have paid their tuition fees twice under the federal government's student loan scheme. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Managing Director of NELFUND, stated that the investigation was prompted by a directive from President Bola Tinubu, who launched the loan scheme in the mid-2023 academic session.

Sawyerr explained that many students received loans after already paying tuition, leading to double payments. NELFUND is unable to compel institutions to issue refunds or prosecute offenders due to a lack of legal power.

The agency has upgraded its payment system to facilitate electronic tuition payments and is working with a joint team that includes personnel from the EFCC and ICPC to address these concerns. Sawyerr emphasized that institutions must not raise fees beyond acceptable levels and acknowledged the frustration of students unable to receive their refunds.