College students from no fewer than 23 public universities and polytechnics have lamented the delayed disbursement of their accepted institutional loans from the Nigerian Training Mortgage Fund as deadlines for tuition cost and examinations draw close to.
President Bola Tinubu signed the College students Mortgage (Entry to Greater Training) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Act into regulation on April 3, 2024, to offer sustainable increased training funding for Nigerian college students.
Because the Fund’s graduation, a number of college students throughout tertiary establishments have benefited. As of February 3, 2025, NELFUND reported receiving 364,042 pupil mortgage purposes and disbursing N20,074,050,000 for institutional charges, benefiting 192,906 college students.
One other N12,818,960,000 was allotted to 169,114 college students, with every receiving a N20,000 month-to-month stipend for maintenance.
Nonetheless, in response to NELFUND’s verified posts on X throughout the week, college students from a number of establishments—together with the College of Nigeria Nsukka; Obafemi Awolowo College; Federal College, Lokoja; Ladoke Akintola College; and others in Northern Nigeria—expressed frustration over the non-disbursement of their accepted loans.
Many lamented that their college portals have been closing in a matter of days, with examinations quick approaching.
On Saturday, Musty Jr (@JrMusty58254) wrote, “I’m a College of Maiduguri pupil. I utilized and was verified since August, but I’ve obtained nothing from this initiative. Please, do one thing for us earlier than subsequent Wednesday. I’m in severe monetary disaster!”
Equally, Orji Oyidiya Chukwu (@OyidiyaOrji) raised issues on Sunday, tweeting, “@NELFUND, my brother hasn’t obtained both the maintenance cash or the institutional charges, and his college (UNIZIK) is closing its portal on Friday, February 14. Please, assist!”
By Monday, extra college students voiced their grievances. Stephen Ayobami from the Federal College, Lokoja, Kogi, wrote, “@NELFUND, please bear in mind us. We utilized since Could final yr and have been verified, however there’s been no approval or disbursement.
“Many college students are stranded—our college portal is closing this week, and exams begin on the tenth of subsequent month!”
At Aliko Dangote College of Science and Know-how, Wudil, Kano, the College students’ Union Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Nura, issued a round on Tuesday, saying that failure to pay tuition charges earlier than the deadline might trigger extreme points for college students.
Confirming the non-disbursement, Abba Yusuf from the identical establishment wrote, “Why haven’t you disbursed funds for Aliko Dangote College college students? Each maintenance and institutional charges stay unpaid. We’ve been verified since August 2024, but not a single cost has been made!”
Equally, Bryan (@Chime69.23h), a pupil of the College of Nigeria, Nsukka, said, “I’ve been verified since June 2024, but I haven’t obtained any disbursement—neither institutional charges nor maintenance. My college has began a brand new tutorial session, and I’ve to pay my charges!”
Some Polytechnic college students additionally raised issues. Oladiran Kayode identified that a number of college students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, had but to obtain each their institutional and maintenance loans.
In the meantime, Kolapo James Ayomi (@kolapojames01) from LAUTECH lamented, “Checks and exams have begun, but with out paying our tuition charges, we will’t register our programs!”
Talking with Saturday PUNCH, a NELFUND official, who requested anonymity attributable to an absence of authorisation to talk on the matter, blamed colleges for the delay in tuition charge disbursements.
The supply mentioned, “Most occasions, these points don’t originate from us. As soon as we approve the funds, we ship the scholars’ information again to the colleges for verification.
“The colleges are then required to verify the validity of the scholars and the schooling charges earlier than we proceed. Nonetheless, many establishments fail to reply promptly. We’ve to maintain sending emails and reminders.”
