News Investigators/ Tertiary institutions in Kogi, Niger and Nasarawa have attributed delays in tuition refunds under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme to verification procedures, reconciliation of records and incorrect bank details supplied by some beneficiaries.
The institutions, however, acknowledged concerns over delays in the payment of the monthly N20,000 upkeep allowance, which is paid directly to beneficiaries by NELFUND.
The institutions expressed their positions during a survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday across tertiary institutions in the three states, following complaints by some students that institutions were delaying refunds after receiving tuition payments from NELFUND.
At the Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi, Mr Ezekiel Adeiza, Director of Information Technology and Resource Centre and NELFUND Desk Officer, said the university received tuition disbursements for more than 6,000 students during the 2025/2026 academic session.
Adeiza said refunds had been processed for verified beneficiaries, while monthly upkeep allowances were paid directly to students by NELFUND.
He explained that upon receiving funds and the list of beneficiaries from NELFUND, the university verifies the students on its portal, confirms their tuition status through the bursary department and obtains the approval of the Vice-Chancellor before processing refunds.
According to him, incorrect bank account details supplied by some students and cases where beneficiaries failed to pay their tuition despite the disbursement were among the challenges affecting the refund process.
He said that the university was collaborating with its portal consultant and Zenith Bank to introduce a virtual wallet for every student at no additional cost.
Adeiza said that the arrangement would enable students who had already paid their fees to receive refunds easily, while those yet to pay would have their tuition settled directly through the wallet.
He said the institution ensured transparency by authenticating beneficiary lists and verifying students’ academic and financial records before granting approval for refunds.
Adeiza appealed to the Federal Government to expand the scheme to cover accommodation and hostel fees in addition to tuition.
Similarly, Mr Daniel Nwankwo, Public Relations Officer of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), said about 15,000 students had applied for the loan scheme since its inception.
Nwankwo said disbursement had been seamless for students who supplied accurate bank details.
He said the university regularly issued notices directing students to verify their names and banking details, while separate lists were published after each disbursement showing successful beneficiaries and those requiring further verification through the NELFUND Ambassador and ICT Desk Officer.
According to him, the bursary department coordinates beneficiary verification and disbursement, while the university also refunds students who paid their tuition before NELFUND settled their fees.
Mr Owosuyi Ajayi, NELFUND Desk Officer at Kogi State University (KSU), Kabba, also confirmed that the institution had received tuition payments for approved beneficiaries.
Ajayi said the university verifies beneficiary lists, reconciles students’ records, confirms payment status and updates its financial records before processing refunds for students who had already paid their tuition.
He said that the refund process could take from a few working days to several weeks, depending on reconciliation and internal approval procedures.
According to him, discrepancies in students’ records, incomplete beneficiary lists, reconciliation processes and verification of previous payments were among the factors responsible for delays.
Ajayi said the university had established a dedicated NELFUND desk, strengthened reconciliation procedures, maintained regular communication with NELFUND and streamlined its internal approval processes to improve timely disbursement.
He added that transparency and accountability were ensured through proper documentation, periodic audits, compliance with financial regulations and accessible complaint channels for students.
Despite the assurances by the institutions, some beneficiaries expressed dissatisfaction over delays in the payment of monthly upkeep allowances.
Miss Precious Oyeyemi, a Banking and Finance student of FUL, said she received her tuition refund without difficulty because she had paid her fees before NELFUND reimbursed the institution.
She, however, said that the monthly upkeep allowance remained inconsistent, noting that although the May stipend was eventually paid in July, payments for June and July were still outstanding.
Another beneficiary, Miss Chioma Patrick, also of FUL, said she was yet to receive a tuition refund after applying for the scheme during the second semester, despite having paid her school fees.
Patrick said she had received only one upkeep payment covering May, describing the delay as a major challenge affecting transportation, feeding and other academic expenses.
She urged NELFUND to ensure prompt monthly disbursement of allowances, provide regular updates on payment schedules and establish an effective platform for resolving students’ complaints.
In Niger, Mr Alhassan Aliyu, Deputy Bursar of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, said some students had confirmed receiving their upkeep allowances.
“The upkeep allowance is paid directly into students’ accounts by NELFUND. Only tuition fees are paid to the university.
“Once the tuition payment is received, students who have not paid their fees have the money applied directly to their tuition, while those who had earlier paid are refunded.
“Since last week, NELFUND has started paying the upkeep allowance, and some students have confirmed receiving it. At the moment, we have no issue regarding NELFUND payments in IBB University,” he said.
Some students and parents commended the scheme for easing the burden of tuition payments, while urging NELFUND to ensure prompt payment of upkeep allowances and faster processing of applications.
Mrs Aisha Mohammed, whose son is a beneficiary, said payment of school fees had relieved many parents of the challenge of raising huge sums for tertiary education.
“The programme has really helped us. We no longer struggle to pay school fees, and that has reduced the financial pressure on our family,” she said.
She, however, appealed for timely payment of the monthly upkeep allowance, saying delays often left students struggling to meet their daily needs.
Mr Ibrahim Umar also described the initiative as a welcome intervention, noting that it had enabled many families to keep their children in school despite the rising cost of living.
He said although parents still provided additional financial support, the scheme had considerably reduced the overall cost of sponsoring their children’s education.
Meanwhile, Mrs Zainab Musa, whose daughter applied for the loan, said the family was still awaiting approval and disbursement.
She expressed concern that the delay had placed additional financial strain on the family.
“We are hopeful the application will be processed soon because paying the fees has not been easy for us,” she said.
Mr Nathaniel Musa, a Political Science student at IBBU, said there had been no significant delay in tuition payments but that the monthly upkeep allowance had been inconsistent.
He said students in his batch started receiving the allowance in February but had yet to receive payments for June and July, while beneficiaries in an earlier batch had already been paid.
According to him, the delay had created financial hardship for many students who rely on the allowance to meet their academic and daily living expenses.
Similarly, Mr Yahuza Saba, a final-year Political Science student at IBBU, said delayed payments had disrupted students’ academic activities and increased financial pressure on beneficiaries.
He said although the allowance was intended to be paid monthly, there was no fixed date for disbursement, with payments sometimes arriving in the middle or at the end of the month.
Saba said the delays began in May and that beneficiaries were being paid in batches.
“The upkeep allowance is my major source of funding for my final-year project. The delay has left me financially stranded and slowed down my project,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Nura Musa, also of IBBU, said the scheme was operating effectively in the institution.
According to him, students could either pay their fees and receive refunds later or wait for NELFUND to settle the fees directly upon successful application.
He added that the amount approved depended on the student’s level of study.
At the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, beneficiaries also praised the scheme for reducing the financial burden on students and their families.
Mr Abdulrahman Mohammad, a student of the Department of Geography, School of Physical Sciences, said NELFUND had been of immense assistance by paying tuition fees and providing a monthly upkeep allowance.
“It pays our school fees and gives us N20,000 every month for upkeep. The allowance helps us meet our needs, especially before our parents send money,” he said.
He, however, identified delays in monthly upkeep payments as the major challenge facing beneficiaries.
Another student, Mr Halilu Zakariya, a Quantity Surveying student of FUT Minna, described the initiative as a major relief for parents struggling with tuition costs.
He added that he supplemented the monthly upkeep allowance with support from his parents to meet his academic needs.
The students appealed to NELFUND to ensure prompt and regular payment of the monthly upkeep allowance.
In Nasarawa, students of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) and Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), appealed to the Federal Government to ensure timely release of funds under the scheme to ease financial hardship on campuses.
The students, who spoke separately with NAN in Lafia, said many beneficiaries were still awaiting tuition payments and monthly upkeep allowances months after the commencement of the second semester.
Martha Samuel, a 300-level student of FULafia, said many students were struggling to remain in school because they had not received either tuition payments or upkeep allowances.
“NELFUND was established by the Federal Government to support students, not add to our challenges,” she said.
A Students’ Union leader at NSUK, who preferred anonymity, urged the authorities to ensure prompt disbursement.
“We are not asking for a favour. This is a government programme established to support students. All we want is timely access so we can concentrate on our studies,” he said.
Mustapha Isa, a 100-level student of FULafia, said the delay was affecting students’ academic performance and forcing some to miss classes while seeking financial support.
Another NSUK student, a 200-level Computer Science undergraduate, said he paid his tuition in anticipation of a refund after NELFUND paid the institution.
“We were told the money would come to the school and we would be refunded. It has been months now. No update, no refund. We are tired of borrowing,” he said.
The NAN survey indicates that institutions in Kogi and Niger insist they are processing tuition refunds in line with established verification procedures and deny deliberately withholding students’ funds.
However, beneficiaries across the three North-Central states remain concerned over delays in the payment of monthly upkeep allowances and the pace of refund processing.
Students and parents have therefore called on NELFUND and tertiary institutions to strengthen communication, improve verification processes and ensure timely release of both tuition refunds and upkeep allowances to reduce the financial burden on beneficiaries.
NAN