AOPE STUDENTS TO NELFUND: WE WON’T  REPAY WHAT WE NEVER RECEIVED!

Students of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa (AOPE), have raised alarm over significant irregularities in the disbursement of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). In an open letter addressed to concerned authorities, the erstwhile Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Comr. Oke Oludele Adesola, detailed how students received far less than the promised ₦120,000 tuition fee, with no upkeep funds disbursed. The letter demands urgent intervention, transparency, and accountability, as affected students are still expected to repay the full ₦360,000 loan despite not receiving the complete amount.

Below is the full text of the open letter:

OPEN LETTER TO CONCERNED AUTHORITIES ON THE IRREGULARITIES IN NELFUND DISBURSEMENT

Dear Concerned Authorities,

The Promise vs Reality,

Sometime ago, the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, launched the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to provide financial relief for students. This initiative was meant to cover ₦120,000 for tuition fees and ₦240,000 for upkeep, with the upkeep disbursed at ₦20,000 per month for 12 months. The program was widely celebrated as a step towards easing the financial burdens of students.

However, what was promised and what has been delivered are two very different realities. Many students, at Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa (AOPE), applied for this loan since last year, yet no funds were received, neither tuition fees nor the promised monthly upkeep.

The Unexpected Disbursement and Shocking Discovery, 21st of March 2025, the school management of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic Eruwa, began disbursing the funds sent by NELFUND, School management released the money to individual students according to the approved money from the Nelfund, but to our dismay, the amounts varied significantly. Some students received ₦75,000, some ₦70,000, others ₦65,000, ₦60,000, ₦55,000, and some as low as ₦50,000, far below the promised ₦120,000 for tuition. Even more disturbing, not a single student has received the ₦240,000 upkeep, which was supposed to be disbursed in monthly payments.

Transaction receipt from the beneficiaries

Meanwhile, each student’s NELFUND portal still reflects a total loan of ₦360,000, an amount we are expected to repay in the future, despite never receiving the full sum. Who is Responsible for this Injustice? It is unacceptable that students who trusted this government initiative are now being subjected to this form of financial injustice. We have completed our studies without the assistance we were promised, yet we are being placed in a debt trap for funds we never received.

Who will be held accountable for this? Where is the missing money?

Why should we pay back money that was not fully disbursed to us? These are the pressing questions that demand immediate answers.

A Call for Urgent Intervention, This situation is a slap on our democracy and an injustice against the Nigerian students who believed in this initiative. As concerned beneficiaries, we are calling on the relevant authorities to ensure full disbursement of all approved funds, both tuition and the ₦20,000 monthly upkeep.

Provide transparency on the funds allocated, we deserve to know why the disbursed amounts are lower than expected. Review the repayment plan, no student should be forced to pay back money they never received.

Investigate and hold accountable those responsible, if funds have been mismanaged or withheld, appropriate action must be taken.

Finally, We Deserve Better

We are not asking for charity, we are demanding what is rightfully ours. This program was designed to support students, not exploit them. If this issue is not addressed, it will not only affect us but also discourage future students from trusting government initiatives.

Mr. President’s vision for a better Nigeria includes educational support and youth empowerment, but if those in charge of implementation fail to deliver, it weakens the trust we place in our leaders.

NELFUND must do the needful. Nigerian students will not remain silent in the face of this injustice.

Yours in the struggle for justice,

Comr. Oke Oludele Adesola

Erstwhile President, Students’ Union Government (SUG)

Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa.

Cc:

The Honorable Minister of Education, Federal Republic of Nigeria

The Commissioner for Education, Oyo State.

SSA To President On Students Engagement.

The Management of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa

Students’ Union Government, AOPE

The Management of NELFUND

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

National Headquarters

NANS Southwest

NANS JCC Oyo State

National Association of Polytechnic Students(NAPS).