Even without much clarity, regarding who are the beneficiaries, their numbers and schools, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has called on applicants to exercise patience and understanding over delay in paying their August stipends.
NELFUND’S Director of Corporate Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, revealed this on Thursday in a statement he issued.
Unlike clear evidence in disbursement of tuitions to applicants in over 50 tertiary institutions – Federal and State-owned, many applicants and the public are lost with details on who and how many applicants have benefitted from the NELFUND’s N20,000 per month upkeep stipend.
The Eagle Online is reporting that there are cases of applicants who have received messages of approval for upkeep, since July, but nothing has dropped in their accounts.
Still, NELFUND said it is seeking understanding of applicants during this period as it strives to finalise the disbursement with the same level of “diligence that has defined our operations thus far”.
The agency specified that the delay was due to ongoing payment processing.
The statement reads in part: “The Fund is conducting necessary security checks to protect public funds and ensure that they are properly allocated to the right beneficiaries.
“While we acknowledge that this process may cause some inconvenience, it is an essential part of our commitment to maintaining transparency, accountability, and to continue to uphold the integrity of the student loan program.
“We therefore ask for your patience and understanding during this period, as we strive to finalise the disbursement with the same level of diligence that has defined our operations thus far.
“We remain steadfast in our mission to empower students and enhance access to higher education across Nigeria.
“The fund is working diligently to complete the disbursements as soon as possible.”
NELFUND added that it appreciates the feedback from students and is pleased to see the level of engagement and attentiveness in monitoring the progress of the upkeep disbursements.
Oluwatuyi said: “This level of involvement reinforces the significance of the student loan program, and we remain dedicated to supporting your educational pursuits, just as we have with previous disbursements.”
