Abuja, Nigeria – In a move aimed at improving transparency and streamlining the education financing system, the Federal Government has inaugurated a high-level committee to harmonise university fee structures across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a stakeholders’ meeting with Vice-Chancellors of public universities and officials of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to Dr. Alausa, the newly formed committee comprises representatives from NELFUND, the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and various university administrations. Its primary mandate is to standardise fee nomenclature, payment structures, and disbursement timelines across all public universities.
“Universities will disclose service charges upfront to avoid misunderstandings in refunded amounts,” said Dr. Alausa. “The current processes are functional, but there is room for improvement to ensure greater efficiency, accountability, and alignment with the administration’s agenda.”
Objective of the Committee
The committee will:
- Establish a unified system for naming and categorising fees and charges.
- Create a transparent framework outlining mandatory and optional service charges.
- Develop standardised timelines for fee notifications and NELFUND disbursements.
- Improve communication and coordination between universities, students, and loan administrators.
Dr. Alausa clarified that while universities may continue to set fees independently, the harmonisation effort will ensure consistency in how charges are described and billed. He also addressed concerns about discrepancies between institutional fees and student loan disbursements, attributing them to varied and often opaque service charges imposed by universities.
The committee has been given a three-week deadline to submit its report, after which the Federal Government will publish national guidelines to be adopted by all tertiary institutions.
Clarification on Fraud Allegations
In response to recent media reports suggesting irregularities in the student loan system, Dr. Alausa dismissed claims of fraud within NELFUND.
“There is no fraud in NELFUND,” he stated firmly, referring to allegations previously raised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The ICPC had earlier launched an investigation following reports that 51 tertiary institutions were allegedly involved in unauthorized deductions from student loans. However, the Commission later issued a clarification, acknowledging that a typographical error in its initial statement had created a false impression that fraud had been detected.
Additionally, NELFUND clarified that the financial data cited in the reports referenced legacy education funding programs that predated the agency’s official launch in 2024. The agency stressed that under the current scheme, all tuition payments are made directly to verified institutions, while student upkeep allowances are credited to individual verified bank accounts.
Government’s Commitment to Student-Centric Funding
Dr. Alausa reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to a student-focused funding model, designed to enhance accessibility, reduce financial ambiguity, and ensure that students benefit directly from government-backed education loans.
The harmonisation initiative, officials say, is part of a broader effort to modernise Nigeria’s higher education financing system and build trust among stakeholders.
