Students’ association presses Nasarawa university on delayed NELFUND refunds

The National Association of Nigerian Students, North-Central Axis, has engaged the Federal University of Lafia over complaints about delayed NELFUND refunds and alleged deductions from beneficiaries’ payments. NANS Zone C Coordinator Abiola Babatunde said the intervention followed a petition from affected students. According to him, some students had not received their refunds, while others reported deductions of between N12,000 and N22,500.

Babatunde said the students had also raised concerns about a lack of transparency in the repayment process. He said NANS sought clarification from the university and urged it to ensure that students received the money intended for them. During the engagement, the university registrar, representing the vice-chancellor, assured the delegation that disbursement of NELFUND refunds had commenced.

The registrar also said the institution was working to ensure that every eligible student received a refund without further delay. The university management agreed to address complaints about deductions from some beneficiaries’ payments. Babatunde said NANS Zone C would monitor the process until all eligible students had been paid.

He said funds provided through NELFUND should be disbursed promptly and transparently, without unjustifiable deductions or administrative obstacles. The association said it would continue engaging tertiary institutions across the North-Central region over the implementation of the scheme. It urged the university to conclude the repayment process and review any deductions found to be unjustified.