Some students in tertiary institutions across Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States have attributed their low participation in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to delays in disbursement.

They also expressed fear of indebtedness, uncertainty over repayment and inadequate sensitisation.

The students made their feelings known in separate interviews while reacting to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey on low participation of South East students in the NELFUND.

They urged the Federal Government to ensure timely payment of monthly upkeep allowances and intensify awareness campaigns through institutions and students’ unions to encourage more students to access the scheme.

NAN reports that NELFUND is the Federal Government’s flagship student loan initiative, providing interest-free loans to eligible students in public tertiary institutions.

Under the scheme, institutional fees are paid directly to schools, while beneficiaries receive monthly upkeep allowances in their personal bank accounts.

In Enugu, the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Bethel Okolo, said that many students were discouraged by the slow processing of applications.

According to him, some students who applied were forced to pay their school fees themselves because the funds were not released before examination deadlines.

“You apply, but the money doesn’t come on time. Exams catch up with you and you are required to pay your school fees. If you have to pay first and wait for a refund later, many students begin to question the essence of applying,” he said.

Okolo also identified fear of borrowing and uncertainty over future repayment as major reasons some students had not embraced the scheme.

“I don’t like living with the feeling that I owe someone. Even though it is interest-free, there is still uncertainty about how repayment will be handled in the future because of the lack of trust in government accountability,” he said.

In spite of his personal reservations, the SUG president described the loan as a laudable initiative capable of preventing students from dropping out due to financial hardship.

He advised indigent students to apply, noting that many beneficiaries had their fees paid while the monthly upkeep allowance had also helped them meet basic living expenses.

Similarly, the SUG President of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Cletus Ikeuwa, said the loan had benefited many students in the institution but noted that irregular payment of upkeep allowances discouraged participation.

“The upkeep allowance has only been paid three times. When students are told it will come every month and it becomes irregular, it discourages them.

“The loan is beneficial, but the stipend should be regular because students depend on it for their welfare,” he said.

Ikeuwa explained that while school fees were paid directly to institutions, delays in processing sometimes slowed confirmation of payments.

He urged the Federal Government to sustain the programme and ensure consistency in monthly stipend payments.

The SUG president also called for stronger collaboration with students’ unions, saying they were best positioned to sensitise students about the benefits of the scheme.

“If student unions are supported to organise awareness programmes, more students will understand the need and value of NELFUND and participate,” he said.

Also speaking, the SUG President of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Chizaram Nwodo, said the institution had recorded improved participation because the university management actively promoted the programme.

Nwodo, however, lamented the stoppage of monthly upkeep allowances, saying students were eagerly awaiting the resumption of payments.

“They stopped paying the upkeep around May. Students are anticipating the money because many depend on it,” she said.

She disclosed that about 2,828 ESUT students had applied for the loan, describing the figure as low compared to the institution’s population of over 20,000 students.

According to her, fear of loans, difficulties navigating the application portal and lack of awareness were the major factors limiting participation.

“Many students hear the word ‘loan’ and become afraid. Some also find the application process complicated, while others simply don’t understand how the scheme works,” she said.

A parent and Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State, Mr Lawrence Njoku, said his son was yet to benefit from NELFUND because he had not attained the age required to obtain a Bank Verification Number (BVN).

“My son is in year two but is not yet 18 years old. He cannot open a commercial bank account or obtain a BVN, which is required for the application. We hope he will become eligible once he turns 18,” he said.

Njoku urged parents to encourage their children to embrace the initiative, describing it as a welcome intervention that would ease the burden of educational financing.

He also appealed to the Federal Government to extend the scheme to students in private tertiary institutions.

“There are millions of Nigerian students in private institutions whose parents also struggle to pay fees. They should also be considered because education is for every Nigerian,” he said.

Contributing, the Special Assistant to Gov. Peter Mbah on Youth and Student Affairs, Comrade Prisca Okeke, said cultural attitudes towards borrowing contributed to the low enrolment in the South-East.

According to her, many Igbo people preferred self-reliance and were reluctant to embrace loan schemes because they believed borrowing could reflect negatively on their independence.

She noted that many people preferred to progress through personal effort rather than depend on loans.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, also expressed concern over the low number of South-East students accessing NELFUND, noting that only about 7,201 UNN students were currently benefiting from the scheme.

He described the statistics as disturbing and urged students in the region to take advantage of the interest-free facility.

According to him, access to university education should no longer be hindered by lack of funds as it removed financial barriers to university education.

“Statistics presented during a recent meeting involving Gov. Peter Mbah, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, and heads of higher institutions in Enugu State showed that the total number of beneficiaries from the entire South-East is less than the figure recorded in a single state in the North-East,” he said.

In Anambra, some students said they were not accessing the NELFUND due to low awareness, fear of indebtedness, misconceptions about repayment, poor internet access and delays in processing applications.

In a survey conducted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, and Federal Polytechnic, Oko, also found that many parents discourage their children from applying for the interest-free loan scheme.

Some of the parents told NAN that they preferred to shoulder the financial burden themselves rather than expose their children to future debt obligations.

Some students who spoke with NAN admitted they had limited knowledge of the scheme and were uncertain about the repayment conditions after graduation.

A 300-level student of NAU, Miss Chisom Nnadi, attributed the low participation to inadequate knowledge of the application process.

“Many students, including myself, have heard about NELFUND, but I do not understand how it works.

“I also believe the money may attract huge interest later, while some of my fellow students fear they may be blacklisted if they fail to repay after graduation,” she said.

Another NAU student, Emmanuel Ezekwe, said technical difficulties discouraged him from completing his application.

“I registered when I was in 200 level but could not complete the process because of issues with verification and uploading documents. I just lost interest after waiting for weeks.

“NELFUND needs to simplify the application process, improve communication with applicants and ensure prompt processing of approved loans to build confidence among prospective beneficiaries,” he said.

A final-year student of COOU, Miss Uchenna Nwankwo, said family values and cultural beliefs also influenced her decision not to apply.

“My parents told me never to borrow money, even if it is from government. They believe it is better to struggle than owe anybody,” she said.

Mr Ifeanyi Obi, an ND II student of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, said he preferred to rely on family support and scholarships.

“I believe scholarships or family assistance are better options than taking a loan I may have to repay,” he said.

Some parents also expressed reservations about the scheme.

Mrs Ngozi Okafor, a trader whose daughter is a 200-level student of NAU, said she would discourage her child from applying.

“I do not want my child to graduate with any financial obligation. I prefer to pay the fees gradually, even if it is difficult,” she said.

Similarly, Dr Chinedu Nwosu, whose son studies at COOU, said many parents lacked adequate information about the scheme.

He called for sustained sensitisation campaigns in tertiary institutions, noting that many parents and students still did not fully understand the benefits and repayment conditions.

“Government needs to explain the repayment terms better. Many of us do not understand what happens after graduation, so we discourage our children from applying,” he said.

Meanwhile, the management of COOU said the institution had continued to record a steady increase in student participation in the NELFUND scheme.

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Dr Harrison Madubueze, said beneficiaries with verified applications were allowed to write examinations without personally paying their school fees because the institution accepted NELFUND approval as a payment guarantee.

He said the university established an active NELFUND Desk to drive sensitisation campaigns and assist students with the application process.

“NELFUND is very active in COOU. We were among the first institutions visited for sensitisation, after which the Vice-Chancellor established the NELFUND Desk.

“Today, COOU uses NELFUND approval as a guarantee for beneficiaries, who no longer have to pay school fees before writing examinations, provided they are actively registered,” he said.

Also speaking, the institution’s NELFUND Desk Officer, Dr Chisom Okafor-Maduka, said student applications had increased from fewer than 263 in the 2023/2024 academic session to about 740 in 2024/2025 and more than 3,000 in the 2025/2026 session, with only about two applications rejected.

She, however, said the number of beneficiaries was still far below the university’s students population.

According to her, poor awareness and outright rejection of the scheme remain major challenges, although the university has intensified sensitisation efforts.

Okafor-Maduka said both school fees and monthly upkeep allowances were paid directly to beneficiaries, although there had been reports of delayed disbursements which had been communicated to NELFUND for necessary action.

“The application process is simple, and the receipt of funds by beneficiaries has helped to boost students’ confidence in the scheme.

“There are those who felt the money would not come, while others expressed fear of being indebted to the government after graduation, but we are working hard to convince them,” she said.

Also, the management of NAU said thousands of its students had benefited from the Federal Government’s education loan scheme, while many more were still applying.

Mr Aloysius Attah, the University’s Director of Information and Public Relations, said although the exact number of beneficiaries could not be ascertained as of press time, the institution had recorded significant participation in the programme.

He attributed the growing number of beneficiaries to sustained sensitisation by the university.

According to him, the Students’ Affairs Unit recently organised an awareness programme to educate students on the application process and eligibility requirements.

“The sensitisation programme exposed students to the application process and guided them on how to complete their applications successfully.

“Thousands of our students have already benefited from the NELFUND scheme, while many more are still applying,” Attah

Meanwhile, students in Ebonyi have commended the NELFUND initiative, describing it as a lifeline for indigent undergraduates in spite of occasional delays in disbursement.

Interviews with beneficiaries at Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, and Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), showed that many students who successfully enrolled in the scheme had continued to benefit from it.

Miss Joy Nwode, Miss Lucy Onwe and Mr Michael Ibe, all students of EBSU, said they applied for the loan in 2024 and had since been enjoying both tuition support and upkeep allowances.

They described the initiative as timely, noting that it had eased the financial burden on students from low-income families and enabled them to concentrate on their studies.

Similarly, Louise Ibiam, Ikechukwu Ajali and Stanley Uwa of AE-FUNAI applauded the Federal Government for introducing the scheme.

They expressed delight that the loan programme was assisting indigent students to pursue higher education without being hindered by financial constraints.

The students, however, acknowledged that some applicants had experienced delays in accessing the facility.

According to them, such delays could be attributed to verification procedures, data mismatches involving applicants, commercial banks and institutions, as well as other administrative processes.

They, however, maintained that many students who applied for the loan were already benefiting from the scheme and urged prospective beneficiaries to ensure that their application details were accurate. (Text, excluding headline: NAN)