Student Loans: Reps Warn Beneficiary Institutions Against Withholding NELFUND Funds, Delaying Refunds

Says some institutions withhold funds released by NELFUND for verified beneficiaries

The House of Representatives Committee on

Student Loans

, Scholarships and Higher Education Financing has warned against non-compliance in the management and administration of the Student Loan Scheme by some beneficiary institutions. The committee chairman, Hon. Ifeoluwa Ehindero, said recent monitoring activities and engagements by the committee had revealed that several beneficiary institutions were not fully compliant with the requirements governing the administration of the Student Loan Scheme. He added that the committee was particularly concerned about cases in which institutions withheld funds released by NELFUND for verified beneficiaries, delayed refunds to students who had already paid their tuition fees before

NELFUND

disbursement, and made only partial refunds to eligible beneficiaries. “It is important to state that such practices constitute serious compliance concerns, undermine transparency and accountability, erode students’ confidence in the system and may threaten equitable access to funding for higher education. “Prolonged delays in the processing of payment notifications and refunds may also disrupt academic progress and compound the financial hardship faced by affected students,” he said. The committee urged the heads of all beneficiary institutions to ensure that their bursars, ICT directors and NELFUND desk officers strictly observe financial discipline in the management and administration of NELFUND funds. “All beneficiary institutions are hereby directed to ensure that NELFUND funds received on behalf of students are promptly and fully applied for the intended purpose,” the committee said. It also said it would continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities. It warned that institutions found to have deliberately failed to comply with the guidelines would face appropriate sanctions under Section 5.6 of the NELFUND Guidelines. The committee said targeted oversight measures would be introduced to address the identified challenges, noting that such steps would strengthen enforcement mechanisms, promote data transparency and reinforce the scheme’s accountability framework. It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the Federal Government’s efforts to expand access to affordable higher education were not frustrated. “The House of Representatives Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships and Higher Education Financing remains committed to ensuring that the Federal Government’s good intentions in expanding access to affordable higher education are not frustrated and that no student is denied the benefit of funds legitimately provided for their education,” it added.