Student loan recipients confirm August stipend disbursements

 

Students benefiting from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) have confirmed receiving their August 2024 stipends.

According to NELFUND, the delay in payments was due to security measures introduced to verify students’ information.

Reports from Sunday PUNCH indicate that students have the option to apply for maintenance loans in addition to institutional loans, which are paid directly to educational institutions.

A total of 20,371 students from six universities received N20,000 each as part of their July stipend disbursements.

The institutions that benefited include Bayero University, Kano; Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina; University of Ilorin, Kwara; University of Benin, Edo; University of Ibadan, Oyo; and University of Maiduguri, Borno.

Several students confirmed receiving their maintenance allowances. A student from the University of Benin, who wished to remain anonymous, stated, "Thanks for the earlier report; I have now received my August stipend."

Another student from the University of Ilorin, also speaking anonymously, said, "The stipend was paid two days ago. We were initially worried, but now we are relieved, though we hope the amount is increased."

A third student, identified as Julius, confirmed, "Yes, I’ve received my stipend. Thank you for the updates."

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the Federal Government to raise the monthly allowance from N20,000 to N40,000.

Npower Update: Npower Publicity Secretary Adeshina A. Adex Urges Internet Influencer Verydarkblackman to Advocate for Npower Beneficiaries

As reported by Npower News, the National Association of Npower Beneficiaries, through its Publicity Secretary Adeshina A. Adex, has made an appeal to well-known internet influencer Verydarkblackman, urging him to leverage his influence to assist Npower Batch C beneficiaries in securing their overdue stipends.

According to the report, Adeshina A. Adex emphasized that Npower Batch C beneficiaries have been unpaid for periods ranging from 9 to 12 months. Some beneficiaries have not received any payment for the work they performed at their designated posts before the suspension of the Npower program. The Publicity Secretary is asking Verydarkblackman to use his platform to appeal to the federal government to lift the suspension of the Npower program, so that the beneficiaries can finally receive their unpaid stipends.

The Npower initiative, launched in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari, was designed to provide unemployed graduates in Nigeria with the skills and training needed for the workforce, along with a monthly stipend of ₦30,000. However, earlier this year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended the program following reports of corruption within the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, which manages the Npower program.

Appeal to the Federal Government of Nigeria

We, the beneficiaries of Npower Batch C, respectfully appeal for the prompt disbursement of our outstanding stipends, which have been overdue for the past nine months. Despite our commitment and efforts in serving our communities, we have not yet received the payments we are entitled to.

This prolonged delay has created considerable financial strain for many of us, making it difficult to meet our personal and family obligations. We earnestly request that the Federal Government expedite the release of the funds required to clear the backlog of our stipends.

While we commend the government for launching the Npower program to empower youth and combat unemployment, the timely payment of stipends is vital to ensuring its success.

We hope for a swift resolution to this issue.

Sincerely,  

Npower Batch C, Il Beneficiaries