Chidimma Uchegbu
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to refund fees paid by students who have subsequently received financial support from the Fund.
NELFUND’s Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, made the call during a sensitization meeting with students of UNILAG on Wednesday.
Represented by the Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, Sawyerr said the refund would address complaints from students who paid their fees before the Fund disbursed their loan payments to the university.
He further reminded tertiary institutions across the country of their agreement with NELFUND not to bar students from academic activities due to nonpayment of fees, particularly students who have applied for, and been verified under, the loan scheme.
Sawyerr also emphasized the importance of continued sensitization on campuses to boost student participation in the scheme and advised prospective migrants among student beneficiaries to honor their loan repayment obligations after relocating abroad.
Responding to the concerns, UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, represented by the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Musa Obalola, acknowledged that refund has been made to a good number of students.
Ogunsola assured students yet to be refunded that the process was in its final stage, urging them to provide accurate bank details to facilitate seamless refunds next week.
The VC attributed the mix up over payment of fees to a mismatch between NELFUND’s disbursement calendar and the university’s academic schedule.
She praised the student loan scheme for offering financial relief, noting that despite the modest fees in public universities many students still struggle to pay.
She lauded the federal government’s intervention, describing the zero-interest loan as a game-changer for access to quality education.
During the session, NELFUND’s Head of IT, Mr. Wale Ogunleye, revealed that 7,112 UNILAG students had registered for the loan, 5,566 had been approved, and disbursements had been made to 4,636 students.
Ogunleye urged applicants to ensure they meet eligibility criteria, including Nigerian citizenship, confirmed undergraduate admission, and the uploading of admission letters and student ID cards on the portal.
