The Federal Government has set up a high-level committee to streamline how university fees are processed and paid across the country, in an effort to make student funding more efficient and transparent.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the announcement in Abuja on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with Vice-Chancellors of universities and representatives from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Dr Alausa said that although universities are receiving funding promptly, there is a need to improve how quickly and clearly that money is disbursed and communicated to students.
“There is no fraud in NELFUND,” he clarified, responding to concerns raised by the anti-corruption agency ICPC. “The systems are working, but we’re working to make them better.”
To address ongoing issues, the new committee will include representatives from NELFUND, the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, and university officials. One of its key goals is to create a standard way of naming and categorising university fees across institutions.
“This doesn’t mean every school will charge the same amount,” Dr Alausa explained. “But the names and descriptions of fees will be the same, making it easier for students and NELFUND to understand what’s being paid for.”
He added that the committee will also create a clear timetable for when universities should notify students of fees and when NELFUND will process payments.
The minister explained that discrepancies between the amounts charged by schools and what NELFUND pays are often due to service charges, which vary between institutions. Going forward, universities will be required to disclose these charges upfront to avoid confusion.
Dr Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that student funding is managed in a way that puts learners first.