Several Nigerians offered employment by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund in early 2025 have raised concerns over their inability to resume work nearly 18 months after receiving appointment letters and completing all required documentation.
According to The PUNCH, the affected recruits said the prolonged delay has left many of them unemployed and facing severe financial and emotional hardship after resigning from previous jobs in anticipation of assuming duty.
According to documents obtained by The PUNCH, NELFUND issued letters of appointment dated January 14, 2025, to successful applicants following a recruitment exercise aimed at strengthening the agency’s workforce.
The letters, signed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, informed the candidates that they had been offered employment, with the appointments taking effect from the date they resumed duty. The recruits were also instructed to complete the necessary documentation and formally accept the
offers within 14 days.
The employees said they completed all documentation on February 3, 2025, after which they were informed that a resumption date would soon be communicated. However, they said no official directive has been issued since then.
The prolonged wait, they noted, has disrupted their livelihoods, with many saying they resigned from existing jobs after receiving the appointment letters.
In a petition submitted to the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Student Loans, Scholarship and Higher Education Financing, Ifeoluwa Ehindero, the recruits appealed for intervention.
“We are worried about the prolonged uncertainty and its impact on our livelihoods and families. We kindly request a meeting with you to discuss the status of our resumption and the necessary steps to be taken,” the petition read.
The group later submitted another letter to the lawmaker after receiving no response and subsequently wrote to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, urging him to intervene.
In the letter, the recruits described the sacrifices they had made in anticipation of resuming work.
“With joy, we left our former jobs and informed our families of a new beginning. Several months have passed, and we are yet to receive any official communication on a definite resumption date. This prolonged wait has caused us financial, emotional and psychological strain,” they stated.
They maintained that they remain committed to the vision of NELFUND and the Federal Government’s student loan initiative but appealed for urgent action to enable them to contribute to the agency’s mandate.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the House Committee on Student Loans, Scholarship and Higher Education Financing, Ifeoluwa Ehindero, confirmed that he had met with both the affected recruits and NELFUND management.
“I am aware of this issue. I have met with the new employees and I have also met with the management of NELFUND,” Ehindero said.
He explained that the agency had planned to expand rapidly after the recruitment exercise but had encountered financial constraints.
“The truth is, the agency employed these people with the hope of expanding rapidly, but they have not been able to do so due to obvious constraints. I will not accept the agency’s excuses because it is wrong to employ people and be unable to get them started,” he said.
Ehindero expressed optimism that the situation would improve once NELFUND begins accessing the 15 per cent Development Levy provided under the Tax Administration Act from January 2027.
He also pledged to continue engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure the matter is resolved and the affected employees are able to resume their duties.
