…says Tinubu never ordered tuition fee hike
A board member representing students on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Comrade Umar Farouk Lawal, has faulted former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, over his comments on the student loan scheme and alleged increases in tuition fees.
Lawal, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said there was no evidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees in federal or state-owned tertiary institutions.
He challenged Atiku and heads of tertiary institutions across the country to produce any presidential directive, circular, memo, or official document showing that President Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees.
His reaction followed reports quoting Atiku as saying that he would review NELFUND if elected, while alleging that the Tinubu administration ordered an increase in tuition fees in tertiary institutions.
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Lawal described the allegation as misleading, saying political discussions about the education and future of Nigerian students should be based on facts and verifiable evidence.
He said it would be wrong to discredit an initiative that had provided assistance to millions of Nigerian students without credible evidence to support such allegations.
According to him, NELFUND was established to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent Nigerian students from accessing higher education.
He said the Fund provides tuition support and upkeep allowances to students across the country, adding that as of April 2026, more than 1.38 million students had benefited from the scheme, with over N242 billion disbursed for tuition and upkeep support.
He rejected the description of NELFUND as merely a response to alleged increases in school fees, saying such a characterisation misrepresented the purpose and impact of the Fund.
“Therefore, describing NELFUND merely as a response to alleged increases in school fees is, respectfully, a misrepresentation of the purpose and impact of the Fund,” he said.
Lawal explained that NELFUND was designed as an intervention to expand access to tertiary education and provide financial relief to students from families that might otherwise struggle to meet the cost of education.
He also challenged Atiku to explain what aspects of NELFUND he intended to review and how his proposed alternative would improve on the existing system.
“If Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes that NELFUND requires a review, Nigerians deserve to know what exactly he intends to review, what aspect of the existing framework he considers inadequate, and how his proposed alternative will improve upon the support currently being provided to students,” he said.
On reports that Atiku’s proposal could include debt forgiveness for qualifying beneficiaries, the NELFUND board member said Nigerians should be told how such a policy would be funded and implemented without undermining the sustainability of the student loan system.
Lawal further clarified that decisions by individual tertiary institutions to review or adjust their charges should not automatically be attributed to the President.
He noted that federal and state tertiary institutions have governing structures and authorities responsible for determining institutional charges within the applicable regulatory framework.
He added that NELFUND itself had expressed concern over reports of arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges and had committed to protecting the interests of students.
The board member urged Atiku to produce evidence to substantiate his allegation that President Tinubu ordered increases in tuition fees.
“Rather than making a blanket allegation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered increases in tuition fees, I respectfully call on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to provide the specific presidential directive, circular, memo, letter or official document upon which such an allegation is based,” he said.
Lawal said, as the board member representing students on NELFUND, he would continue to defend the interests and welfare of Nigerian students irrespective of political affiliation.
He said students should not become victims of political narratives or misinformation, adding that the Tinubu administration had demonstrated commitment to expanding access to higher education through NELFUND.
He also cited figures from the Presidency indicating that NELFUND had enabled more than 1.64 million students to access tuition and upkeep support, with over N303 billion disbursed through 300 higher institutions.
Lawal urged political leaders, particularly those seeking the presidency, to make constructive, evidence-based, and student-centered contributions to discussions on the future of education in Nigeria.
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