The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has condemned alleged unethical practices by some tertiary institutions accused of withholding tuition refunds from students and arbitrarily increasing school charges despite receiving payments under the Federal Government's student loan scheme.

In a statement issued by the Fund's Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, NELFUND said it had received reports that some institutions were refusing or delaying refunds to students who had already paid their tuition before the agency later remitted the same fees directly to the schools. The Fund warned that such actions undermine the objectives of the student loan programme.

NELFUND said it has begun engaging the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure eligible students receive their refunds promptly while maintaining fair and transparent tuition charges. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting students' interests and preserving the integrity of the Federal Government's education financing initiative.