NELFUND Debunks Fake Report on Life Imprisonment for Loan Defaulters

By Oluwatobiloba Omole

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has debunked a viral social media report claiming that students who fail to repay their education loans after graduation would face life imprisonment.

NELFUND dismissed the claim in a post published on its official X account on September 6, 2026, describing the report as fake and fabricated.

According to the Fund, the false report was circulated through a doctored image designed to resemble the front page of The Daily Tribune, dated May 27, 2027.

The headline on the image claimed that President Bola Tinubu had announced life imprisonment for students who fail to repay their loans after graduation.

To counter the misinformation, NELFUND shared the image with a large red “FAKE” stamp across it and stated that the claim did not originate from the President or the agency.

The Fund noted that it had previously issued clarifications on other false reports relating to the student loan scheme, including claims that upkeep payments had been suspended and that beneficiaries were required to begin repayment while still in school or immediately after graduation.

NELFUND explained that it was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu and re-enacted in 2024.

NELFUND urged students and members of the public to disregard unverified reports and obtain information about the student loan programme only through its official communication channels.