News
NELFUND vows to deal with institutions violating funds terms, conditions
Mariam Abeeb
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND has vowed to deal with institutions that go contrary to the terms and conditions surrounding to funds paid to it on behalf of students.
It says while the fund lacks the statutory power to suspend, remove or expel erring heads of institutions, any traced illegality will be reported and dealt with administratively by the Minister of education.
It says it will not allow the initiative of President Bola Tinubu towards making education accessible to willing Nigerians to be sabotaged on the alter of selfish interest.
Speaking during its third day stakeholders meeting and engagement with Heads of Colleges of Education, Agriculture, Health and Nursing, in Abuja, the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyer, said the commitment of the Fund is to pay all registration charges that will admit students into classes for lectures tutorials, and exams amongst others.
Noting that so far, 303 institutions that we have paid on behalf of 293,000 students, Sawyer said the loan is applicable with how it has been set up and this includes JAMB, NIN, BVN and the matrix numbers, while remarking that the longevity seems to have attracted more people.
According to him, “The commitment of NELFUND is to pay all their registration charges. Our instruction is that once they have paid their institutional charges, they must have access, I repeat, they must have access to education, lectures, classes, tutorials and examination.
“We paid the whole amount, we don’t want the students to put their hands in their pockets and bring out money, and we do not want students to pay because the school told them they haven’t received any money when they already have.
“That’s going to be a serious matter and will be attended to administratively. And if anything illegal is going on, they will be death with as criminal offences if schools are asking students to pay when we already have paid.
“This is not an issue of refund. There are certain instances when we’ve made payments to schools after the students have actually paid because we started payment mid- cycle, but anybody who pays to the school after the school has received money from NELFUND is commiting a crime.
“We don’t have the power to sanction- we can’t suspend, remove or expel, but if we find anything,we have to take it to the minister and if it’s criminal in nature, we have to escalate it to the agencies that will ensure that economic crimes and practices are not being committed.
“We can’t also punish the students for refusing to pay for next session in the name of sanctioning the school. So we are threading with caution. Institutions that are erring are the ones that will face the music, and the minister is determined that this programme by President Bola Tinubu is not sabotaged by selfish interest.
Appreciating public outcry on real or perceived illegalities, Sawyer revealed that plans for thorough investigation into the matter has been concluded with the sperate investigative panels including the National Orientation Agency, NELFUND and the federal ministry of education.
“We are already conducting our own investigation. The NOA is conducting its own investigation, and the ministry of education through the honourable Minister is conducting a holistic investigation.”
Foreign news
Algeria’s Glorious Revolution: Embassy Marks 72nd Anniversary in Abuja
Joel Ajayi
The Embassy of Algeria in Nigeria has commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the country’s Glorious Revolution of November 1, 1954, with a reception in Abuja, highlighting Algeria’s liberation struggle and strengthening diplomatic relations with Nigeria.
The event, held on November 9, 2026, at Continental Suites Hotel, attracted prominent personalities, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, members of the Federal Government, senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and other friends of Algeria.
Speaking at the reception, Algeria’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hocine Mezoued, welcomed guests and paid tribute to the country’s freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the struggle for independence.
He described the November 1, 1954 revolution as the foundation of modern Algeria, noting that the sacrifices of the nation’s martyrs made it possible for the country to reclaim its sovereignty.
On Algeria’s development agenda, Mezoued said President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s administration had continued to pursue economic reforms, diversification and national development under its New Algeria vision.
He noted that the country was recording progress in non-hydrocarbon exports, while improvements in the business environment had boosted investor confidence and attracted significant foreign investments.
On foreign policy, the ambassador reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to non-interference, respect for national sovereignty, peaceful conflict resolution and the right of peoples to self-determination.
Addressing security challenges in the Sahel, he stressed that lasting peace could not be achieved through military measures alone, insisting that economic development, inclusive dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes remained essential.
Turning to Nigeria-Algeria relations, Mezoued described the partnership as one founded on shared values and the commitment of both countries’ leaders to advancing African development.
He identified the Trans-Saharan Highway, Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and Trans-Saharan Fibre Optic Backbone as major strategic projects receiving attention from both countries.
The ambassador also disclosed that Algeria had continued to provide scholarships to Nigerian students to strengthen human capital development and capacity building.
He further announced that Air Algérie expanded its Nigerian operations on October 26, 2026, with the introduction of two weekly flights to Lagos, expressing confidence that the service would boost trade and tourism.
Looking ahead, Mezoued said 2027 would offer fresh opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly through the fifth Joint High Bi-National Commission scheduled to hold in Abuja.
He expressed optimism that the meeting would provide an opportunity to assess existing partnerships, identify new areas of cooperation and move Nigeria-Algeria relations towards a more practical and results-driven phase.
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