FG Inaugurates C’ttee To Ensure Uniform Disbursement Of Student Loan
By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Federal Government has created a committee to streamline student loan disbursements across the country’s tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with Vice-Chancellors of universities and NELFUND management.
This is part of efforts to remedy the disparity in charges deducted from student loans received by beneficiaries.
Addressing the media, Alausa said that while universities had been receiving funds promptly, there was a pressing need to improve the timelines and efficiency of disbursement and notification processes.
He clarified that there was no fraud in NELFUND, contrary to earlier speculations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
“The current processes are working, but we are working to better the system we have now.
“The aim is to serve both NELFUND and our citizens more efficiently, and align with the broader agenda of the current administration,” he said.
Alausa revealed that one of the major decisions reached during the meeting was the formation of a committee comprising representatives from NELFUND, the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and key university officials.
According to him, the committee’s primary task will be to standardise the nomenclature for student fees and charges across universities.
He explained that while the actual fee amounts might differ by institution, all universities would be required to adopt uniform terminology to ensure transparency.
“The committee will determine and publish standard timelines for when NELFUND will disburse funds and when universities must notify students,” he added.
Responding to questions about discrepancies between student fees and what NELFUND pays, Alausa attributed the differences to varying service charges by institutions.
He said the committee would create a clear framework for fee components to eliminate confusion and ensure accurate disbursements.
“Universities will disclose service charges upfront to avoid misunderstandings in refunded amounts,” he noted.
The minister reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to a holistic and student-focused approach to managing educational funding.
