The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has debunked 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 clarification was made in a statement released on Thursday by NELFUND’s Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, who described the reports as false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create panic, confusion, and distrust among students and members of the public.
Naija News understands that Oluwatuyi stressed that neither the federal government nor NELFUND had issued any directive regarding the suspension of upkeep allowance payments to students benefiting from the scheme.
The statement added that the fake reports included a fabricated statement falsely attributed to NELFUND, as well as an AI-generated newspaper front page purportedly from the Nigerian Tribune.
The agency, however, clarified that the publications in circulation are fake and did not originate from the agency or any authorised government communication channel.
The Fund further clarified that the newspaper cover being widely shared online was artificially generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and does not represent an authentic publication.
The Fund urged beneficiaries, stakeholders, students, parents and members of the public to disregard the fake publications and rely only on verified information released through NELFUND’s official communication channels and credible media organisations.
NELFUND also cautioned the public against sharing unverified content capable of spreading misinformation and causing unnecessary anxiety nationwide.
“The Fund remains steadfast in its commitment to expanding access to higher education and supporting Nigerian students through sustainable financing initiatives,” the statement added.