NANS Raises Alarm as 39 Institutions Delay NELFUND Tuition Refunds

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has listed 39 tertiary institutions yet to refund tuition fees to students after receiving NELFUND payments, urging immediate reimbursement and greater accountability.

NANS President, Babatunde Akinteye, disclosed this in a statement released on Wednesday, saying the institutions had already received tuition payments from NELFUND on behalf of qualified students but had yet to reimburse those who had settled their fees before the loan disbursements were made.

Institutions named in the statement included Adamawa State University, Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Federal College of Education, Yola, Kaduna State Polytechnic, Ogun State Institute of Technology, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, University of Education, Akamkpa, University of Uyo, Yobe State University, Federal University Lafia and Modibbo Adama University.

Also on the list were Nasarawa State University, Federal College of Forestry, Federal University of Education, Pankshin; Federal Polytechnic Nyak, Plateau State University, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Imo State University, Lagos State University of Education, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Kano State College of Education and Preliminary Studies, University of Nigeria, Ebonyi State University, Federal College of Education, Katsina, College of Agriculture Science and Technology and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture.

Also included were University of Ilesa, Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Delta State University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ekiti State University, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, University of Calabar, Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe and Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic.

Akinteye said the publication was aimed at promoting transparency and accountability while ensuring affected students receive their refunds promptly.

“The following institutions have received NELFUND tuition payments on behalf of eligible students but are yet to refund students who had already paid their tuition fees before the NELFUND disbursement,” Babatunde said

He added, “This list is intended to promote transparency, accountability and to ensure that affected students receive the refunds due to them without further delay.”

The student body also called on the affected institutions to expedite the refund process, stressing that students who had paid their tuition before NELFUND settled the fees on their behalf should not be subjected to additional financial hardship.

“Nigerian students should not be made to bear unnecessary financial burdens because of administrative delays,” the association said, adding that the publication of the list was intended to ensure accountability and prompt compliance by the affected schools.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny of the implementation of the NELFUND student loan scheme, one of the Federal Government’s flagship education financing initiatives under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The scheme was established to remove financial barriers to higher education by paying approved tuition fees directly to tertiary institutions while providing upkeep allowances to eligible students.

However, concerns have emerged in recent months over delays in refunding students who had already paid their tuition before NELFUND released payments to their institutions. Student groups have repeatedly argued that institutions receiving duplicate tuition payments have a responsibility to promptly refund the affected students to prevent them from suffering avoidable financial hardship.

The issue of delayed refunds has become one of the major concerns surrounding the implementation of the student loan programme, alongside earlier complaints over delays in the payment of students’ upkeep allowances.

NANS has consistently maintained that while the loan scheme has improved access to higher education financing, institutions must promptly refund students whose tuition has been paid twice to preserve confidence in the programme.

The association reiterated its call for transparency and accountability in the management of NELFUND disbursements, insisting that all affected students should receive their refunds without further delay.