One student of di Federal University of Technology, Owerri, di Imo State capital, simply identified as Moses dey lament why im institution go receive im loan from di Nigerian Education Loan Fund (Nelfund) and still ask am to pay for school fees.

Moses tell BBC News Pidgin say im no fit pay Nelfund loan wey im no use.

According to di student, im mama bin no get di money to pay im school fees and na im make am apply for di loan.

E tok say di institution ask dem to pay 40% of dia school fees bifor dem go fit write exams, and add say na dis make im mama go borrow money to take pay im school fees.

Moses say di institution don tell dem say dem no go refund dem back dia money for 2023/2024 section and im no go gree pay money wey im no receive.

"Why be say Nelfund no dey send di money directly to students? Na we go repay di loan no be di institution. Now, my mama don go borrow my school fees and di dashboard dey show say dem don already disburse my fees and allowance."

Moses say: "We need clarification from Federal University Of Technology, Owerri, dem don tell applicants say dem no go refund for 2023/2024 session.

"Dem dey force students make dem pay 40% fees for dis 2024/2025 session bifor dem go fit write exams. I no fit pay back wetin I no receive."

Anoda student from di University of Calabar, Jerry Egwowa, tok say im university no gree disburse upkeep money give students and dem tok say make dem come for physical verification bifor dem go fit disburse di money give dem

Egwowa explain say di money for upkeep no reach im transport fare go school and e fit send im details to di school for confirmation.

"Since last year wey dem don verify. I neva still receive upkeep. Unical dey tell students make dem go for physical verification. I no tink say e dey necessary wetin be di need of internet? I fit send my details make dem confam. Di money wey I go use enta transport for physical verification pass di upkeep."

BBC News Pidgin reach out to di Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and di University of Calabar, for comments but dem neva respond.

Banks, instiutions dey holdback student loan disbursement from students - Nelfund, NOA

Meanwhile, students ontop social media dey lament say dia bank details for di portal no be dia own while some tok say dia dashboard dey show disbursed but dem neva collect any money from dia institution.

Akintunde Micheal ontop im X page tok say im details na UBA bank but e dey show Unity bank but no im account details e dey show.

Christian Micheal tok say e dey show for di portal say e don pay im school fees.

"I just dey see dis now and I pay school fees for my previous level becos e no reflect on my portal," e tok.

However, National Orientation Agency (NOA) don expose some institution say dem dey hold back di loan access from students.

Paul Odenyi wey be tok-tok pesin to di agency tok say dia investigation don show say some institutions dey conspire wit banks to short-change di students.

"Di NOA feedback show how some specific institutions don dey connive wit some banks, deliberately delay payments to successful student applicants for personal financial benefit," di statement tok.

"Some universities fail to acknowledge di Nelfund disbursements to di students. Oga Akintunde Sawyerr don confam say some institutions no dey inform students about loan disbursements while dem still dey request make dem pay tuition fees."

Also, Nelfund caution institution make dem no dey holdback loan disbursement from students.

Akintunde Sawyerr, Nelfund Managing Director, don issue warnings to institutions wey fail to inform students of dia loan disbursement, while dem still dey demand payment of institutional fees from di same students.

"Dis act of withholding critical financial information from students dey unethical and directly violate di principles wey we use establish Nelfund. We no go hesitate to take legal action against any institution wey dey engage in any deceptive practices," Mr Sawyerr tok.

Steps on how you fit check Nelfund portal for loan disbursement to your university

Di Nigeria Education Loan Fund (Nelfund) announce say students fit check dia disbursement status independently for dia personal dashboard on di Nelfund portal.

For one statement, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi tok-tok pesin to Nelfund, tok say students fit check dia loan status through two reliable forms of notification wey fit confam dia disbursement.

.Upkeep Disbursement Alert - Dis apply only to students wey dey apply for di Upkeep component of di loan.

.Dashboard Notification - Under di "Loans" section of di portal, di school loan history go show

.Tracking

.Date of Disbursement

.Status (e.g., Disbursed)

.Loan Type (e.g., Institutional Fee)

If di status show "Disbursed", e mean say Nelfund don successfully transfer di institutional fee to di institution. Dis na di confamation say dem pay di institution but if dem neva receive di money make dem tell Nelfund officials on dia website or social media for more support.

Did you know you can track your student loan disbursement on the NELFUND portal?

Students who applied for upkeep will also receive a disbursement alert. For all students, your dashboard shows the exact date and status (e.g., Disbursed) once your institutional fees are paid.… pic.twitter.com/xs7ce6iIkq

— NELFUND (@NELFUND) April 13, 2025

Did you know you can track your student loan disbursement on the NELFUND portal?

Students who applied for upkeep will also receive a disbursement alert. For all students, your dashboard shows the exact date and status (e.g., Disbursed) once your institutional fees are paid.… pic.twitter.com/xs7ce6iIkq

— NELFUND (@NELFUND) April 13, 2025

Did you know you can track your student loan disbursement on the NELFUND portal?

Students who applied for upkeep will also receive a disbursement alert. For all students, your dashboard shows the exact date and status (e.g., Disbursed) once your institutional fees are paid.… pic.twitter.com/xs7ce6iIkq

— NELFUND (@NELFUND) April 13, 2025