NELFUND Upkeep Update: Latest Developments on Students’ Refunds

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has continued to expand its student loan programme, providing financial support to Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions and approved vocational and skills-acquisition centres.

While the scheme has reached more than one million beneficiaries, students continue to raise concerns about upkeep payments, verification delays and refunds of institutional fees they paid before NELFUND disbursed funds to their schools.

This NELFUND upkeep update explains how the programme works, its latest disbursement progress, the challenges students are experiencing and the arrangements for students awaiting refunds.

What Is NELFUND?

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is the body established under the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Repeal and Re-enactment Act, 2024.

The Act was signed into law on 3 April 2024 and established NELFUND as the institution responsible for administering interest-free student loans for higher education, vocational training and skills acquisition.

NELFUND’s main objective is to reduce the financial barriers that prevent eligible Nigerian students from accessing and completing tertiary education.

The loan has two major components:

• Institutional charges: Funds paid directly to the student’s institution to cover eligible tuition and other mandatory institutional fees.
• Upkeep allowance: Financial support paid to eligible students to help with living expenses.

The Fund is designed as a revolving education-financing programme, meaning that recovered funds can be used to support future beneficiaries.

NELFUND’s official information is available through nelf.gov.ng, while applications and related services are provided through portal.nelf.gov.ng.

What Does NELFUND Aim to Achieve?

The programme was established to make tertiary education and skills acquisition more accessible to Nigerians who may otherwise struggle to afford it.

Its key objectives include:

• Improving access to higher education.
• Promoting financial inclusion and equal opportunity.
• Reducing student dropouts caused by financial hardship.
• Supporting skills development and socio-economic mobility.
• Contributing to the development of a skilled workforce.

NELFUND’s broader vision is an education-financing system where qualified Nigerians are not prevented from pursuing higher education or skills acquisition simply because of financial difficulties.

NELFUND Disbursement Progress

NELFUND’s application portal opened on 24 May 2024, and the programme has continued to expand since then.

According to the information covered in this update, approximately 1.66 million applications have been processed, with total disbursements reaching about ₦355.87 billion.

Of that amount:

• Approximately ₦192.89 billion went towards institutional fees.
• Approximately ₦162.98 billion was paid as upkeep allowances to students.

The number of participating public tertiary institutions has also increased substantially from the early stages of the programme. However, reports have cited different figures for the number of beneficiary institutions, so the exact number can change as more institutions are onboarded and verified.

Disbursements continue in batches as institutions verify student information, enrolment and applicable fees.

Who Is Eligible for NELFUND?

The programme covers eligible Nigerian students who meet the applicable requirements.

The source information identifies the following categories and requirements:

• Nigerian citizens admitted into eligible public tertiary institutions.
• Students in federal and state universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics and approved vocational or skills centres.
• Full-time new and continuing students.
• Eligible Direct Entry students with a JAMB number.
• Eligible part-time students with a JAMB number.

Applicants are required to provide verifiable information, which may include their institution, admission or matriculation number, JAMB number, date of birth, NIN and BVN.

New students may also be required to provide supporting documents such as an admission letter.

The current coverage described in the source does not include private institutions, although possible future expansion has been discussed.

Applications can also be rejected where applicants have previous loan defaults with licensed institutions, submit fraudulent documents or fall within other disqualifying categories under the applicable rules.

Check out previous story on NECO Result Checker: Check 2026 SSCE Results Online

How Does NELFUND Upkeep Payment Work?

The upkeep component is intended to provide students with financial assistance for living expenses while they pursue their education.

The source describes the upkeep allowance as commonly being ₦20,000, with payment arrangements depending on the applicable policy and academic session.

Students generally need to apply for the loan for each academic session.

The institutional component is paid directly to the school, while the upkeep component is paid to the student’s bank account linked to their BVN.

One of the issues students have experienced is uncertainty about when upkeep payments begin and end.

Changes linking upkeep payments to the academic session have also caused confusion for some beneficiaries. Where institutions delay uploading academic calendars or other required information, students may experience further delays.

When Does NELFUND Loan Repayment Begin?

NELFUND loans are interest-free.

According to the source material, repayment begins two years after completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and applies when the beneficiary is gainfully employed or self-employed.

The repayment structure is typically based on a 10% deduction from salary or profit.

The re-enacted Act also removed the requirement for a guarantor under the student loan scheme.

Major Problems Students Are Experiencing

Although NELFUND has expanded rapidly, several operational issues continue to affect beneficiaries.

Verification and Processing Delays

One of the major challenges is the time required to verify applications.

Differences between information supplied by students and institutional records, duplicate applications and additional fraud checks can delay the processing of applications and disbursements.

Institutions also have to verify student information and submit relevant data before payments can be processed.

Delays in Upkeep Payments

Some students have reported delayed, irregular or incomplete upkeep payments.

Changes to the way upkeep is tied to academic sessions have also created confusion, particularly where students were expecting continuous monthly payments.

Technical problems and delays in uploading institutional academic calendars can further affect the payment process.

Institutional Data Problems

NELFUND depends heavily on institutions providing accurate and timely information.

When a school is slow to confirm enrolment, student information or applicable fees, the student’s application or disbursement can also be delayed.

This makes cooperation between NELFUND and participating institutions an important part of the process.

Changes in Institutional Fees

Another concern highlighted in the source is the increase in tuition or other institutional charges by some schools after or around NELFUND disbursements.

Such changes can increase the amount students have to pay themselves and make it more difficult for beneficiaries to understand exactly what their NELFUND funding covers.

Scams and Information Gaps

Students also need to be careful about fraudulent websites and individuals pretending to represent NELFUND.

Although the Fund provides official online platforms and public updates, some students still struggle to find clear information about their application status, upkeep payments or refund procedures.

Students should therefore rely on official NELFUND channels and avoid sharing sensitive information with unverified platforms.

NELFUND Students’ Refund: What Is Happening?

One of the most important issues surrounding the programme is the refund of institutional fees paid by students before NELFUND subsequently paid the same fees to their institutions.

This situation can result in what is effectively a double payment: the student pays the institution first, and NELFUND later pays the eligible institutional charge on behalf of that same student.

In such cases, students are expected to receive the appropriate refund from their institutions.

Why Are Students Waiting for Refunds?

Many students paid their school fees themselves because they needed to complete registration or meet institutional deadlines before their NELFUND applications were fully processed.

After NELFUND subsequently paid the applicable institutional charges, some students expected their earlier payments to be returned.

However, reports have highlighted cases where students experienced:

• Long waiting periods.
• Partial refunds.
• Incorrect refund amounts.
• Differences between amounts shown on portals and amounts actually paid.
• Delays in institutional processing.
• Unclear refund procedures.
• Difficulty getting clear information from school authorities.

The issue has been reported across some campuses, with students and student organisations raising concerns about delayed refunds.

What Is the NELFUND Refund Timeline?

The source states that NELFUND’s guidelines require eligible institutions to refund certain overpayments or duplicated payments within a maximum of 30 calendar days in specified cases.

This includes situations such as a qualifying withdrawal before the start of a session or a clear case of double payment.

Students should therefore keep evidence of any payment they made personally and monitor their NELFUND dashboard to determine whether the relevant institutional fees have subsequently been disbursed.

Who Is Responsible for the Refund?

Where NELFUND has already paid the eligible institutional charges and the student had previously paid the same charges, the institution is primarily responsible for processing the refund.

Students should confirm the NELFUND disbursement on their dashboard and retain evidence of their original payment.

They should then follow the refund procedure provided by their institution, which may involve the bursary, student portal or a dedicated refund platform.

Problems Students Have Reported With NELFUND Refunds

The refund process has faced several challenges, including:

• Refunds taking weeks or months.
• Incorrect or incomplete amounts being reflected.
• Administrative bottlenecks within institutions.
• Unclear procedures for submitting refund requests.
• Limited clarity over enforcement and escalation.
• Confusion among students about the applicable timelines.

These issues can create additional financial pressure for students who initially borrowed or found money elsewhere to pay their fees while waiting for NELFUND funding.

What Students Waiting for a Refund Should Do

Students who believe they are owed a NELFUND refund should keep a complete record of their transactions.

This should include:

1. Proof of the original school-fee payment.
2. Registration or admission information.
3. NELFUND application details.
4. Evidence that NELFUND subsequently paid the institution.
5. Screenshots or records showing the relevant dashboard information.
6. Copies of correspondence with the institution.

Students should first contact the institution’s bursary or designated refund office and follow its formal refund procedure.

Where a dedicated refund portal exists, students should use the official institutional platform rather than relying on unofficial agents.

If the issue remains unresolved, the student should escalate the matter through the available institutional and NELFUND complaint channels.

What Can Be Done to Improve the Refund Process?

Several measures could make the system easier for students and institutions.

Faster Verification

Faster verification of student information would reduce the period between application and disbursement.

Better Institutional Data Management

Institutions should upload accurate student information, fee structures and academic calendars promptly so that NELFUND can process applications without unnecessary delays.

Clear Refund Procedures

Students should receive clear instructions explaining:

• Who handles refunds.
• What documents are required.
• How long the process should take.
• How students can track their refund.
• Where complaints should be escalated.

Stronger Monitoring

NELFUND and relevant education authorities can continue monitoring institutions to ensure that eligible refunds are processed within the applicable timeframe.

Better Communication

Regular updates from NELFUND and participating institutions can reduce confusion and make it easier for students to understand the status of their applications, upkeep payments and refunds.

The source also highlights the need for stronger measures against institutions that repeatedly fail to comply with applicable refund requirements.

What Students Should Know About NELFUND

NELFUND has become a major source of education financing for Nigerian students, with the programme expanding rapidly since its launch.

However, the expansion has also exposed operational challenges involving verification, institutional data, upkeep payments and refunds.

For students, keeping accurate records is particularly important.

If you paid your institutional fees before NELFUND subsequently covered the same eligible charges, keep your payment receipt and monitor your NELFUND dashboard. If the institution has received the NELFUND payment, follow the school’s official refund procedure and keep evidence of every request you make.

Students should also be careful with websites, social-media accounts and individuals claiming to offer special access to NELFUND funds.

For accurate information, use only the official NELFUND platforms:

NELFUND official website: nelf.gov.ng

NELFUND application portal: portal.nelf.gov.ng

As the scheme continues to expand, improving verification speed, making upkeep payments more predictable and ensuring that students receive eligible refunds promptly will remain important to the programme’s implementation.

For students, the safest approach is to keep complete records, monitor their official NELFUND dashboard, follow their institution’s approved procedures and use official channels when seeking assistance.