By Rasheedat Abidiesin
For Musa, a 300-Level student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, who has pinned his hope on the NELFUND Loans’s monthly stipend to survive on campus, the lingering delay of July upkeep payment was a catastrophe for him amidst the soaring cost of living.
As a struggling student with financial constraint, the NELFUND upkeep has been the only sustainable support and luxury that afford to cover his basic needs, including affording to buy the materials he could read, and renewing his foodstuffs, among other expenses.
Sadly, the delayed July upkeep has thrown Musa into financial hardship. According to him, he’s finding it increasingly difficult to live with the situation and drowning in a wreck of extremely tough predicaments.
Expressing his distress, he said, “We get that the upkeep is meant to help us, but we have depended on it solely even to the extent that any delay in the upkeep we would be starved,” he began.
“In fact, the 20k upkeep is a lifeline to many of us because I usually spend mine on foodstuffs when the money drops, hoping the foodstuffs will sustain me for a month. But we didn’t get the July upkeep, and our hopes sank as there’s no indication that we’ll get it anytime soon again.”
Grappling with the same situation, Adebayo, also a 300-Level student of UDUS, recounted the ordeal he was facing as a result of the delayed July upkeep payment.
“I faced a lot of predicament in school due to the delayed payment of upkeep because I used them to sort basic needs. Because I relied on the upkeep so dearly, and I felt so hopeless and disappointed at the same time for the needless hard time we’re facing now,” he stated with a growing sober tone.
Adebayo further regretted that the delay plunged him into a total shortage of funds. He said he had borrowed money from his friends and coursemates with the hope to pay them back when he received his monthly stipend, adding that he wasn’t able to refund them till now.
Just like what other students are facing, Zainab wails about her own situation, stating that the upkeep has been her life support. She said the delay of the July payment frustrated her budget as she was not able to buy anything for herself. “Normally, I have budgeted my July upkeep to get my handouts, I waited and waited, the upkeep didn’t come, so I had to try another means possible, yet I’m still stranded where to sort assistant,” she said with distress.
The Student Loan Fund
The Student Loan Initiative is a program established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to break financial barriers in higher education. Through the provision of interest-free loans, the initiative seeks to fundamentally reshape the educational landscape.
Launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in May 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria started disbursement of funds to settle the tuition fees and monthly upkeep for the beneficiary-students which also enable them to afford their basic needs to meet up with their expenses.
While the scheme seeks to relieve students of the stress of academic constrict, the reimbursement of the monthly upkeep tilts the way of hunger for most Nigeria students.
More Woes
Two years ago, when Abdullahi Yunus gained admission into Bayero University Kano, he juggled hustling and academics together just to stay afloat and not beg for food.
“When the NELFUND application came last year, I felt a little bit relieved. And for some reason I felt there was no need to keep washing caps, since it affects my academy,” he told our reporter.
“However, the delay in this upkeep is making me beg already. I hope NELFUND can just pay up,” he pleaded.
“I drank garri for two weeks straight,” Abdullahi (not real name) told this reporter.
“There was no sugar and my foodstuffs have finished. I swear I felt really comfortable with the stipend but it doesn’t look promising again,” Abdullahi concluded.
NELFUND Upkeep: General Delay Plunging Students to Starvation
On the 6th of August, a Twitter user identified as Eliseo Guillermo replied to NELFUND’s post thus,
“Today is August 6th, and many of us have not yet received our upkeep. My upkeep status changed from ‘in progress’ to ‘rejected.’ I raised a ticket on the app, but there has been no response. People have been complaining in the comment section, and there’s still no response.”
“@NELFUND August upkeep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“University of Portharcurt,” Kizi_Dresscode another user tweeted.
Meanwhile, another user, ATOM, replied; “You really are asking for august upkeep where I haven’t seen any since may. Wow.”
“August keh@ we BUK are yet to receive even June,” hinted Jibrin Abdulazeez.
Officials Keep Mum
All attempts to get to speak with NELFUND returned void. Our Reporter reached out to the spokesperson of NELFUND, Mr Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, via WhatsApp, however, no response was received as at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, no official statement has been issued addressing the reason why students are yet to receive the owed upkeep till this moment.