Students Threaten Protests Over NELFUND Payment Delays

Students across Nigeria are threatening to embark on peaceful protests, including occupying the headquarters of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), due to a two-month delay in the disbursement of upkeep payments. Babatunde Akintey, the president of the student association, stated that the delay has caused widespread anxiety among beneficiaries from various tertiary institutions.

The upkeep payments, which are meant to support students' living expenses, have not been disbursed for two months without an official explanation. Akintey described the situation as unacceptable and argued that it undermines the core objective of the student loan program, which is to alleviate the financial burden on students amid Nigeria's challenging economic conditions.

The association has called for urgent intervention from the federal government to prevent further escalation. Akintey warned that failure to resolve the issue promptly would lead students to take peaceful mass action.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund was established by the federal government to provide interest-free loans to eligible Nigerian students pursuing higher education.