The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to embark on peaceful mass action, including the occupation of the headquarters of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), over what it described as a two-month delay in the payment of students’ upkeep allowances.
The student body said the delay has caused widespread anxiety among beneficiaries across tertiary institutions in the country and called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to prevent further escalation of tensions.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NANS President Babatunde Akinteye said the association had received numerous complaints from students over the non-payment of allowances under the NELFUND scheme.
He said the upkeep payments, designed to support students with living expenses, had allegedly been withheld for the past two months without any official explanation from the relevant authorities.
“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 situation as unacceptable, arguing that it undermines the core objective of the student loan initiative introduced to ease financial pressure on students amid Nigeria’s economic challenges.
“The primary objective of the NELFUND initiative is to provide relief and support to Nigerian students, particularly in the face of prevailing economic realities,” he said.
“Any delay that deprives students of access to these funds undermines the very purpose for which the initiative was established.”
NANS called on the Managing Director of NELFUND, 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 situation and ensure immediate payment of all outstanding allowances.
The association also demanded a clear explanation from authorities regarding the cause of the delay.
Akinteye warned that failure to resolve the issue promptly could lead to nationwide peaceful protests, including the occupation of the NELFUND headquarters.
“Failure to do this within the shortest period of time will leave Nigerian students with no option but to embark on peaceful mass action,” he said.
He, however, stressed that the warning should be seen as a reflection of student frustration rather than a direct threat.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, established by the Federal Government, provides interest-free loans to eligible students in public tertiary institutions, covering both tuition fees and monthly upkeep allowances.
Since its rollout, the scheme has supported thousands of students across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. However, recurring delays and administrative concerns have continued to generate complaints from beneficiaries, with student groups calling for improved transparency and efficiency in disbursement processes.
