AKWAPOLY Students Petitioned ICPC Over Disruption in NELFUND Loan Disbursement

Students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, have formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the prolonged delay in the disbursement of approved loans under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme to eligible students of the institution.

The petition, dated January 30, 2026, and signed by the SUG President, Comrade Wisdom Udoimuk, Speaker, SUG Parliament, Rt. Hon. Winner , NAAKIS President , Comrade Thompson Idongesit and President, Niger Delta Student Union Govt.(NIDSUG), Senator God’sgift Udoakang, was addressed to the ICPC headquarters in Uyo and copied to relevant stakeholders. The letter, titled “Request Letter/Notice of Intended Protest,” was written on behalf of the entire students body of the Polytechnic.

According to the Students' Leaders, the Federal Government, in furtherance of its commitment to expanding access to higher education, enacted the Student Loan Act, 2023, which was signed into law in April 2024. Following this, the NELFUND application portal was opened in May 2024, allowing eligible Nigerian students to apply for interest-free educational loans.

The Union disclosed that a significant number of students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic applied for and were duly approved for the loan. However, due to the temporary disengagement of some beneficiaries from the institution before approval, the Student Affairs Unit had to intervene by tracing, collating and verifying the records of affected students to enable smooth disbursement of the funds.

The petition further revealed that upon confirmation of their approval status and readiness to receive payment, the students were informed that disbursement could not proceed on the grounds that the institution was under investigation by the ICPC. This development, the Union noted, has heightened agitation and anxiety among affected students, many of whom are already struggling with tuition, accommodation, and basic living expenses thus leading to repeated confrontations with school authorities over the non-release of their approved loans.

Emphasizing that NELFUND resources are loans and not grants, the Students’ Leaders appealed against any directive that would route the funds into the Treasury Single Account (TSA), warning that such a move would defeat the core purpose of the Students' Loan Scheme and unfairly place repayment obligations on students who never accessed the funds.

In a spirit of constructive engagement, the Union made the following respectful appeals:

1. That the loan funds, particularly tuition components paid directly to the institution, be handled strictly in line with NELFUND guidelines, refunds should only be made to students who had already paid their tuition fees.

2. That the funds meant for qualified students should not be transferred to the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

3. That the designated Desk Officer handling the loan disbursement should no longer be subjected to harassment by the securityagencies, as he has diligently carried out his responsibilities in the best interest of the students and in line with the NELFUND guidelines. 

4. That no embargo should be placed on the disbursement of the approved loan sums to eligible students.

5. That Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic be allowed to disburse the said loan to the students in line with practices adopted by other tertiary institutions across the country and the NELFUND guidelines.

The students warned that failure to address these concerns may leave the students with no option than to embark on peaceful protest which may lead to breakdown of law and order in the institution and its environ noting that further correspondence on the matter may not be forthcoming.

The Students' Leaders concluded by expressing confidence in the ICPC’s sense of justice, transparency and commitment to fairness, while appealing for a prompt and favourable response in the interest of peace, institutional stability, students' welfare, public trust and the integrity of the Student Loan Scheme.