The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has dismissed reports suggesting that beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s student loan scheme have been directed to commence repayment, describing the information as false and misleading.
In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, the Fund said it has not issued any instruction requiring students to begin repaying their loans, warning that such claims could create unnecessary anxiety among beneficiaries.
The statement, signed by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, urged students and the general public to disregard the rumours circulating on social media and some media platforms. She reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement, noting that official communication would always be made through appropriate channels.
The clarification followed a disclaimer by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Edoba Bright Omoregie, SAN, who denied issuing a circular allegedly detailing repayment procedures for NELFUND loans.
UNIBEN stated that the document in circulation did not emanate from the institution and confirmed that no repayment guidelines have been announced by either NELFUND or the Federal Government.
NELFUND further emphasised that repayment terms are clearly outlined in its Establishment Act, which protects beneficiaries from loan repayment while they are still in school or during periods of unemployment after graduation.
