By Desire Emmanuel
President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Babatunde Afeez Akinteye, on Wednesday, July 8, accused 43 institutions of higher learning in the country of receiving NELFUND tuition payments but are yet to refund eligible students who had already paid their tuition fees before the disbursement.
He made the allegation on his X handle, saying the purpose of naming the institutions was to promote transparency, accountability and to ensure that affected students receive the refunds due to them without further delay.
NELFUND, which stands for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, is the Federal Government agency responsible for administering interest-free educational loans to eligible Nigerian students. Established by the Student Loans Act, its primary goal is to break financial barriers by covering tuition fees and providing monthly stipends for students attending public tertiary institutions.
However, the NANS President said based on his findings, 43 institutions are allegedly yet to refund the students after collecting the money from NELFUND.
He named the institutions as Adamawa State University, Mubi; Federal Polytechnic Mubi; Federal College of Education, Yola; Kaduna State Polytechnic; Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa; Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State; University of Education Akamkpa, Cross River State; University of Uyo; Yobe State University, Damaturu; and Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Others are Modibbo Adama University, Yola; Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Federal College of Forestry, Plateau State; Federal University of Education, Pankshin, Plateau State; Federal Polytechnic, Nyak, Plateau State; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi; Imo State University, Owerri and Federal University, Lafia.
Also on the list are Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin; Bamidele Olumilua University, Ikere Ekiti; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State; Kano State College of Education and Preliminary Studies; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki; Federal College of Education, Katsina; College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Other institutions named by him are University of Ilesa; Ogun State College of Health and Allied Sciences, Ilese-Ijebu; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba; Delta State University; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; Federal University of Oye Ekiti; University of Calabar; River State University; Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe; Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic and Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo.
