The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the Federal Government has suspended student upkeep allowances under its student loan scheme.
In a statement on Thursday, the Fund described the reports as false, misleading and deliberately fabricated to cause panic among students and the public.
NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said there was no suspension of upkeep payments and no directive from the Federal Government or the Fund to that effect.
According to him, the viral claims included fake statements attributed to the agency as well as an AI-generated newspaper front page, which were not issued by any official channel.
He urged students and stakeholders to disregard the reports and rely only on verified information from NELFUND’s official platforms.
The agency reiterated its commitment to the continuous disbursement of student loans and upkeep allowances, in line with its mandate to support access to higher education.
NELFUND also cautioned against the spread of misinformation, warning that such content creates unnecessary anxiety among beneficiaries.
The Fund noted that it has disbursed over ₦206bn in student loans to more than 1.6 million beneficiaries since the scheme began, adding that the initiative remains ongoing and active.
