- NELFUND denies reports of student upkeep allowance suspension
- Agency says viral statement and newspaper cover are fake
- Fund urges public to ignore misinformation on social media
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the Federal Government has suspended the payment of upkeep allowances to beneficiaries of the student loan scheme.
The agency described the reports as false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create panic and confusion among students and members of the public.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that this was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.
According to the statement, neither the Federal Government nor NELFUND has issued any directive suspending the payment of upkeep allowances under the student loan programme.
NELFUND also said the false reports included a fabricated statement wrongly attributed to the agency, as well as an AI-generated newspaper front page falsely presented as a publication by the Nigerian Tribune.
The agency clarified that the materials being circulated online did not originate from NELFUND or any authorised government communication channel.
“The publications currently in circulation are entirely fake and should be disregarded by the public,” the statement said.
NELFUND further explained that the newspaper cover widely shared online was artificially generated using Artificial Intelligence and does not represent a genuine newspaper publication.
The Fund urged students, parents, stakeholders, and beneficiaries of the scheme to rely only on verified information released through its official communication channels and credible media platforms.
The agency also warned against the spread of unverified information capable of causing unnecessary anxiety nationwide.
NELFUND maintained that it remains committed to supporting Nigerian students through sustainable financing initiatives aimed at improving access to higher education.
“The Fund remains steadfast in its commitment to expanding access to higher education and supporting Nigerian students through sustainable financing initiatives,” the statement added.
