The University of Calabar says it has refunded tuition fees paid through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to 1,089 students, while more than 2,000 additional refund applications are awaiting processing through its newly introduced digital platform.
Speaking with journalists in Calabar on Friday, the university’s NELFUND Desk Officer, Dr Elizabeth Effiwatt, said the institution had completed nine batches of refunds and dismissed claims that it had failed to reimburse eligible students.
“The University of Calabar has completed nine batches of manual refunds to 1,089 students. It is wrong for anyone to say UNICAL has not refunded. We are refunding, and the process is ongoing,” she said.
Effiwatt explained that the refunds were carried out in phases, covering a total of 1,089 beneficiaries, and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to transparency and accountability in managing the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
She also commended President Bola Tinubu and NELFUND Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, for introducing the initiative aimed at improving access to higher education.
Meanwhile, the university’s Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Dr Eyo Essien, said UNICAL had introduced an automated refund portal to replce the previous manual process.
According to him, the digital platform has attracted 2,090 refund applications in less than one month, although processing has been temporarily suspended to allow for the reconciliation of records.
“We have about 2,090 students who have applied for refund in less than a month because of this automation. We have moved from the manual method to digital, making it easier for students to apply through the portal without stress. Payment for the next phase was paused to reconcile records. Very soon, they will smile,” Essien said.
He added that students can now apply for refunds or pay tuition fees online without visiting any office or paying intermediaries.
“They don’t need to go anywhere or pay anyone. They can complete the application on their phones and even monitor their balance on the dashboard. This innovation makes the process seamless and stress-free,” he added.
