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Hundreds of students at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, staged a peaceful protest on Monday over alleged partial and incomplete disbursement of their Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) loans, demanding full payment, transparency, and accountability from the university management.
The demonstration follows mounting frustration among beneficiaries of the federal student loan scheme, which was designed to ease financial burdens by covering tuition fees and other academic expenses for eligible undergraduates. According to protesting students, only a portion of the approved loan funds has been released to them, while significant balances remain unaccounted for and unpaid.
Reports indicate that the university received over ₦58 million from NELFUND for the 2025/2026 academic session to support hundreds of students. However, demonstrators claim that deductions, delays, or mismanagement have left many without the full support they were promised, threatening their ability to continue their studies.
Protesters described the situation as financially distressing, emphasizing that the loan scheme was introduced precisely to reduce the heavy burden of school fees and prevent dropouts due to inability to pay. One student lamented: “We rely on this loan to stay in school. Any deduction defeats the purpose.”
Another added: “We just want transparency and fairness in how the funds are handled.”
The students are calling for immediate full disclosure of disbursement records, prompt release of outstanding balances, and clearer communication from university authorities, including the Vice-Chancellor, on how the funds have been utilized.
As of the time of this report, the university management had not issued an official response to the protest or the allegations of incomplete disbursement. The situation has drawn attention to broader concerns about the implementation of NELFUND across institutions, with students insisting that any shortfall or irregularity undermines the federal initiative’s goal of expanding access to higher education.
The protest underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring that student support programs reach their intended beneficiaries without delays or unexplained deductions, as affected students continue to press for resolution to safeguard their academic futures.
