…says Tinubu never ordered tuition increase
A board member representing students at the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Comrade Umar Farouk Lawal, has criticized former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, for 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 tertiary institutions.
He challenged Atiku and heads of tertiary institutions across the country to come forward with any presidential directive, circular, memorandum or official document showing that President Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees.
His reaction followed reports quoting Atiku as saying 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 and said political discussions on education and the 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 created to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent Nigerian students from accessing higher education.
He said the Fund provides tuition support and maintenance subsidies to students across the country, adding that as of April 2026, over 1.38 million students had benefited from the scheme, with over N242 billion disbursed for tuition and maintenance support.
He rejected the description of NELFUND as a mere response to alleged increases in school fees, saying that such a characterization misrepresented the purpose and impact of the Fund.
“Therefore, describing NELFUND as simply a response to supposed 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 who would otherwise struggle to cover 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 the existing system.
“If Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes that NELFUND requires a review, Nigerians deserve to know what exactly it intends to review, what aspect of the existing framework it considers inadequate and how the proposed alternative will improve the support currently provided to students,” he said.
On reports that Atiku’s proposal could include debt forgiveness for qualified beneficiaries, the NELFUND board member said Nigerians should be informed how such a policy would be financed 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 positions should not be automatically attributed to the President.
He noted that federal and state tertiary institutions have governance structures and authorities responsible for determining institutional positions 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 was committed to protecting the interests of students.
The board member urged Atiku to present evidence to substantiate his allegation that President Tinubu ordered increases in tuition fees.
“Instead of making a general allegation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered increases in tuition fees, I respectfully request Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to provide the specific presidential directive, circular, memorandum, letter or official document on which such allegation is based,” he said.
Lawal said as a board member representing NELFUND students, he would continue to advocate for the interests and welfare of Nigerian students regardless of their political affiliation.
He said students should not become victims of political narratives or misinformation, adding that the Tinubu administration had demonstrated its commitment to expanding access to higher education through NELFUND.
He also cited figures from the Presidency indicating that NELFUND had enabled over 1.64 million students to access tuition and maintenance 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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