UDUS Students Lament Delay, Difference in NELFUND Refund

Hamza Saruwire, a final year student of Economics at the Usmanu Danfodiyo, appeared weary and tired. An appearance he had been wearing, long before he gained admission to UDUS.

Haven lost his mom when he was a toddler, and his father, at a very young age. His life has for long rested on his shoulders. Hamza had been the one struggling to pay for his own fees from Secondary school and now at the University. Hence the reason for his tiredness.

“When I realized the school fees for this session isn’t something I can gather from my menial jobs, I had to approach some friends and borrow the substantial amount,” He was saying “ I was hopeful that when NELFUND refunds my school fees I will repay back. However, the school’s delay on the money is making it very hard for me, as people I borrow money from are seriously disturbing me.”

Hamza is part of the 50% Nigerian students who struggle to get their tuition fees paid as a result of tuition hike and lack of sponsor. Many Nigeria students in fact were considering dropping out of the school.

What is NELFUND

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is a pivotal financial institution established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Act, 2024. It was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on 3 April 2024, marking a historic step towards ensuring sustainable higher education and functional skill development for Nigerian students and young people.

This purpose is to relieve struggling Nigerians from the brunt of paying expensive school fees. However repaying debts remains a distant dream for students like Hamza despite disbursement.

More Tales…

Ekundayo Aremu, a 300-level Pols scientist, wanted to surprise his dad when he applied for the student loan. Unlike Hamza who lost his parents, Aremu’s father is alive but struggles hard to put his kids in school.

“I understand the struggle back home, so I wanted to take the money home and relieve my dad of the stress,” Aremu said.

“My dad oscillates between Lapo and Grooming to pay for our tuition fees. An exercise which makes me sad.”

The delay in the refund has left Aremu unhappy because of the delay in the refund.

Like Aremu, Zainab Adekunle complained of unreasonable formalities put in place while applying for refund.

“You have to submit the receipt of your tuition from 100-level. Imagine, a University of over four decades of existence does not have data of students that paid school fees?” Zainab explained.

“Last year, I was going to the bursary department every day but I still didn’t receive a refund till the present day,” another student, Aminu Babangida said.

Differences Between Loan And Refund

To Suleiman Abdulmalik, the refund wasn’t the refund, but the differences between the loan approved by NELFUND and the amount returned by the school.

“My NELFUND portal reads a debt of 106,000 in Naira, but the school refunded only 94k,” he said.

Corroborating Abdulmalik’s claim, Hamza said it is true that there is a difference in the loan amount on the portal and the refund.

“I don’t know why they have to do that when the loan was said to be interest-free,” he pointed.

“It is a loan, you have to pay back, ”—Expert.

Speaking with ASIWAJU MEDIA, Mr Taoheed Adelana, a child’s Right Advocate, retorted that its a loan and the student has to repay back after graduation.

“The act of deducting the money is really unbecoming because the loan was obviously interest-free. Students are unfortunately at the detriment at all times,” he said.

“If students should question the authority now, they risk the fear of being intimidated and this is unfair.”

Speaking of the data, Mr Taoheed advised the school to work on its database as advanced schools don’t subject students to this much stress before refund.”

When ASIWAJU MEDIA reached out to the MIS Director, Mr Chafe Ahmad pointed at the fact that the delay was to allow the school to figure out students who are still owing and trying to Sabotage payment.

He furthered that the refund will be made once students follow the formalities and guidelines the school provides.