NELFUND: Why South-South, South-East regions record low applications — UNIPORT VC

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, has explained that part of the reason most students from the South-South and South-East regions have failed to apply for the student loan scheme is due to deep-rooted cultural resistance.

He said that although the loan scheme, administered by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), is interest-free, many families in the region do not want their children associated with debt.

The Vice-Chancellor made this known on Wednesday in Port Harcourt during a Strategic Engagement and Sensitisation Campaign organised by NELFUND.

He advised the government to consider rebranding the programme as a “repayable grant”, noting that such a change could encourage more families to support their children’s participation.

“This is not a grant, it’s a loan. As a VC, I feel every student should key into this programme. Despite our advocacy, the word ‘loan’ is really discouraging students from participating in the scheme.

“We can coin it to be a repayable grant which will make parents feel their children are not going to school through loan,” he said.

Addressing allegations of fraud linked to the scheme, Georgewill dismissed the claims as baseless and damaging to a national initiative. He asserted that the University of Port Harcourt had maintained a clean record since the programme began.

“Universities are being called names for participating in this programme. But how can I defraud myself with money paid to my university?

“If you pay school fees on behalf of students, the money becomes part of the institution’s operating budget. There is no fraud in that,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor also emphasised that the university charges one of the lowest tuition fees among federal institutions—₦78,000 per year—which, he said, makes education more accessible to families even without loans.

He noted that of UNIPORT’s 40,000 students, only 1,800 are currently benefitting from the loan scheme, making it illogical to claim widespread fraud.

“Why would I be involved in fraud over 1,800 students when 38,000 others are paying their fees directly? The entire NELFUND payment is meant for the student’s fees.”

Responding to concerns about student refunds, the Vice-Chancellor reiterated that the institution would only refund a student’s personal payment if it was made before NELFUND disbursed funds on their behalf.

He also criticised systemic misinterpretations, saying that accusations were often made without proper investigation and that generalised reports had unfairly maligned all universities.

Former National Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), David Bariereka, confirmed that UNIPORT had not been the subject of any official complaint regarding the misappropriation of NELFUND disbursements.

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Bariereka, however, acknowledged that some other universities had faced allegations where NELFUND-paid fees were not reflected, causing students to pay out of pocket.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, acknowledged that some issues had arisen but stressed that the agency remained committed to transparency.

Represented by Dr Zino Ugboma, Director of Administration at NELFUND, Sawyerr added that media narratives and premature conclusions had sometimes done more harm than good.

“The system may not be perfect, but we are trying to make it as humanly effective as possible. Sabotage and misinformation can ruin what should be a transformative programme for the country.”

Sawyerr emphasised the need for cooperation and clarity to ensure the programme’s success. He warned against sensationalism and urged stakeholders to focus on refining the system for the benefit of Nigerians.

He, however, commended the University of Port Harcourt for recording the highest number of student registrations on the national student loan portal among all higher institutions in Rivers State, with approximately 4,000 students already signed up.

“Of all the higher institutions in Rivers State, Uniport has the highest number of registrants.

“As of this morning, we have about 600,000 students nationwide who have registered for the programme, and Uniport’s 4,000 students are a major part of that success,” he said.

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