The much-anticipated Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) stakeholders’ meeting, slated for Thursday, May 8, 2025, has been postponed indefinitely, triggering outrage from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) over its exclusion.
The meeting, which was expected to feature the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and heads of 51 tertiary institutions accused of mismanaging student loan disbursements, was postponed yesterday, with no reason given for the delay. Dr. Alausa was, however, spotted at the 2025 International Conference on Smart Education and Digital Literacy in Abuja.
A source revealed to The Guardian that the postponement was likely due to scheduling conflicts, assuring that “the meeting will be rescheduled once the minister’s engagements are cleared,” with hopes for a productive discussion on the alleged misappropriations.
Reacting to the development, NANS expressed displeasure over its exclusion and demanded the meeting be halted until proper consultation with its leadership is conducted.
In a joint statement signed by its Zonal Coordinators, NANS described itself as the “umbrella body of all Nigerian students, both at home and in the Diaspora,” and criticized NELFUND for bypassing due process.
“While we do not oppose engaging directly with Students’ Union Presidents, we are greatly concerned that proper structure has been ignored. NANS, as the apex body, is constitutionally positioned to coordinate such interactions. NELFUND’s failure to engage NANS before circulating invitations is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent,” the statement read.
The student body insisted that the stakeholders’ meeting be postponed until consultations with its national, zonal, and state leadership are held, warning that any attempt to sideline NANS would be seen as a deliberate effort to weaken student representation.
“We remain open to dialogue and collaboration, but it must be on a foundation of mutual respect, proper structure, and recognition of NANS as the voice of over 40 million Nigerian students,” it added.
