Stakeholders in the education sector have described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a transformative initiative that is expanding access to tertiary education and easing the financial burden on students and their families.
Educationists, students and school administrators made the remarks in separate interviews across Bauchi, Jigawa and Gombe states, noting that eligible beneficiaries had received tuition refunds and monthly upkeep allowances since the scheme was introduced.
The Director of Information at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Zailani Bappa, confirmed that the institution had disbursed NELFUND loans to eligible students.
He said students who paid their tuition fees before NELFUND released funds to the university had been refunded.
According to him, delays in processing refunds were due to the timing of NELFUND disbursements, adding that beneficiaries were refunded immediately after the institution received the funds.
One of the beneficiaries at the university, Mohammed Umar, commended the initiative, saying it had eased the financial pressure on students and their parents.
At the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Tanimu Gambo, disclosed that 6,853 students had benefited from the scheme, with payments made in batches.
Officials of the Federal University of Kashere (FUK) and Gombe State University (GSU) also confirmed the payment of tuition refunds and upkeep allowances to eligible students.
The NELFUND Desk Officer at FUK, Ahmad Osheka, said the university had refunded all eligible beneficiaries except a few graduates whose cases were still being resolved.
He added that students had received upkeep allowances up to May, while payments for June and July were still pending.
The President of the Students’ Representative Council at GSU, Abubakar Muhammad, said students had received tuition refunds, although technical issues resulted in some beneficiaries receiving double payments.
He explained that efforts were underway to resolve the outstanding issues and that more than 80 per cent of affected students had already received their refunds.
At the Federal University Dutse (FUD), the institution’s NELFUND Desk Officer, Murtala Sani, said about 10,300 students benefited from the scheme during the 2025/2026 academic session.
He said beneficiaries received payments for institutional fees and monthly upkeep allowances, while students who had paid their tuition before the release of the funds were reimbursed.
The Dean of Student Affairs, Dr Abubakar Yahaya, described the initiative as a major relief for indigent students and their families.
Similarly, the President of the Students’ Union Government, Isah Ibrahim, said about 95 per cent of beneficiaries had received their tuition refunds.
However, some students of Jigawa State Polytechnic, Dutse, said they were yet to benefit from the scheme.
One of the students, Hisham Yusuf Ibrahim, said he applied for the loan five months ago but had yet to receive any disbursement.
He alleged that several of his classmates were facing similar challenges.
Another student, Ahmad Abubakar, said he was not aware of any student in the polytechnic who had benefited from the programme.
