STUDENTS THREATEN NATIONWIDE PROTEST OVER DELAYED NELFUND UPKEEP DISBURSEMENT
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The National Association of Nigerian Students has threatened to stage peaceful mass protests, including a possible occupation of the headquarters of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, over what it described as a two-month delay in the payment of students’ upkeep allowances.
The association said the delay had triggered growing concern among beneficiaries in tertiary institutions across the country and urged the Federal Government to take immediate action to avert further tension.
In a statement released on Sunday, NANS President, Babatunde Akinteye, said the body had received several complaints from students regarding the non-disbursement of upkeep allowances under the NELFUND programme.
According to him, the allowances, which are meant to support students with living expenses, have allegedly not been disbursed for the past two months without any official explanation.
“I have it on good authority that the disbursement of students’ upkeep allowances has been on hold for the past two months, with no clear explanation or accountability from the relevant authorities,” Akinteye said.
He described the development as unacceptable, arguing that it defeated the core objective of the student loan programme, which was introduced to ease the financial burden on students amid Nigeria’s challenging economic conditions.
“The primary objective of the NELFUND initiative is to provide relief and support to Nigerian students, particularly in the face of prevailing economic realities.
Any delay that deprives students of access to these funds undermines the very purpose for which the initiative was established,” he stated.
NANS called on the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to urgently intervene and ensure that all outstanding allowances were paid without further delay.
The association also demanded that the authorities provide a clear explanation to students regarding the reasons for the delay.
Akinteye warned that failure to resolve the issue within the shortest possible time could trigger peaceful protests by students across the country.
Failure to do this within the shortest period of time will leave Nigerian students with no option but to embark on peaceful mass action, including the occupation of the NELFUND head office, until concrete steps are taken to address the situation,” he said.
He, however, stressed that the warning should not be interpreted as a threat but as a reflection of the frustrations of thousands of students whose welfare and academic pursuits were being negatively affected by the delay.
Messages sent to the Director of Corporate Communication, NELFUND, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
Akinteye said he had received credible information indicating that the disbursement of students’ upkeep allowances had been suspended for the past two months without any clear explanation from the relevant authorities.
He described the situation as unacceptable, noting that it undermined the purpose of the student loan initiative, which was created to reduce the financial pressure on students amid prevailing economic challenges in the country.
According to him, the NELFUND scheme was designed to provide financial support and relief to Nigerian students, particularly at a time of rising economic hardship.
He argued that delays preventing students from accessing the funds defeat the objective of the programme.
NANS therefore called on the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to urgently address the issue and facilitate the immediate release of all outstanding upkeep allowances.
The association also urged the authorities to provide students with a detailed explanation for the delay.
Akinteye warned that if the matter was not resolved promptly, students nationwide could resort to peaceful protests, including occupying the NELFUND headquarters until tangible action was taken.
He, however, maintained that the planned action should not be seen as a threat but as an expression of the growing frustration among students whose welfare and academic activities had been affected by the delay.
Efforts to get a response from NELFUND were unsuccessful, as messages sent to the agency’s Director of Corporate Communication, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, had not been answered as of the time this report was filed.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund was established by the Federal Government to provide interest-free loans to eligible students in public tertiary institutions across the country.
In addition to covering tuition fees, the scheme also provides monthly upkeep allowances to assist beneficiaries with living expenses while pursuing their studies.
Since its launch, the programme has supported thousands of students across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, although concerns over payment delays and administrative challenges have continued to generate complaints and calls for improved transparency and timely disbursement.
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