A member of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Comrade Umar Farouk Lawal, has challenged the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to provide evidence supporting his claim that President Bola Tinubu ordered tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees.
Lawal, who represents students on the NELFUND board, made the demand in a statement issued to journalists on Wednesday, saying he was responding to comments attributed to Atiku that he would review the student loan scheme if elected president.
He described the allegation that Tinubu directed tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees as inaccurate, insisting that the President had never issued such an instruction to federal or state-owned tertiary institutions.
“As the Board Member representing Students on the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), I wish to state categorically that at no time has Mr. President ordered the increment of tuition fees in any federal or state-owned tertiary institution in Nigeria,” Lawal said.
Lawal challenged heads of tertiary institutions, Atiku and members of his political team to produce any presidential directive, circular, memorandum, letter or other official document showing that Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees.
He said political discussions surrounding education and the future of Nigerian students should be based on verifiable facts and evidence rather than assumptions or narratives that could mislead the public.
NELFUND’s role
Lawal also defended the NELFUND scheme, explaining that the Fund was established to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent Nigerian students from accessing tertiary education.
He said NELFUND had provided tuition support and upkeep allowances to students across the country, adding that more than 1.38 million students had benefited from the scheme as of April 2026, with over ₦242 billion disbursed in tuition and upkeep support.
He argued that portraying NELFUND simply as a response to alleged increases in school fees would misrepresent the purpose and impact of the programme.
“NELFUND is a major intervention designed to expand access to tertiary education and provide financial relief to students from families who may otherwise struggle to meet the cost of their education,” he stated.
Responding to Atiku’s reported proposal to review NELFUND, Lawal said Nigerians should be told which aspects of the Fund the ADC presidential candidate intended to change and how his proposed reforms would improve the existing system.
He also questioned how any proposed debt forgiveness for qualifying beneficiaries would be funded and implemented without threatening the sustainability of the student-loan scheme for future beneficiaries.
Lawal further explained that decisions by individual tertiary institutions to review or adjust their charges should not automatically be attributed to the President, noting that federal and state institutions have governing structures and authorities responsible for determining institutional charges within the applicable regulatory framework.
He added that NELFUND had itself expressed concern over reports of arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges and had indicated its commitment to protecting students’ interests.
The NELFUND board member also cited figures from the Presidency indicating that more than 1.64 million students had accessed tuition and upkeep support, with over ₦303 billion disbursed through 300 higher institutions.
He urged political leaders, particularly presidential candidates, to make constructive, evidence-based and student-centred contributions to discussions about Nigeria’s education sector.
“It will be wrong to discredit an initiative that has provided tangible assistance to millions of Nigerian students without presenting credible evidence to support such allegations,” he said.
Lawal reaffirmed his commitment to defending the interests and welfare of Nigerian students irrespective of political affiliation, stressing that students should not become victims of political narratives or misinformation.
Source: Statement by NELFUND Board of Trustees member, Umar Farouk Lawal
