The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has expressed concern over the low number of loan applications by students at Rivers State University.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, raised the concern during the Strategic Engagement and Sensitisation Campaign on the operations of the Fund, held on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
Represented by Dr. Zino Ugboma, Director of Administration at NELFUND, Sawyerr said that while the primary purpose of the visit was to strengthen ties with the university, a recent internal review revealed troubling statistics regarding student participation in the programme.
He explained that the data showed a low registration rate, noting that the University of Port Harcourt had 3,000 applications, while Rivers State University had only 1,500.
“Going through our records, we discovered something that is not too pleasant in relation to your university. For some institutions, we have up to 4,000 applicants—students who have registered with our team.
“At the University of Port Harcourt, we have up to 3,000 applicants. But for Rivers State University, we have approximately 1,500.
“For this reason, the Managing Director has asked that we come here and engage with the university management,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of the visit, the Managing Director called for deeper discussions to identify and resolve the challenges.
“We want to understand what the problem is. The funds are available—they are meant to be disbursed to these young people. Let us work together to solve this,” he said.
In response, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, acknowledged the gap in student engagement and pledged transparency and collaboration to address the issue.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Victor Akujuru, he said the meeting marked a critical point in the relationship between the two institutions.
He promised that both organisations would work collaboratively in the coming weeks to resolve the concerns raised.
“We are grateful that you flagged our university’s situation and took the time to visit us to understand why we are lagging behind.
“I must admit that the figures reflect a serious concern—1,500 out of nearly 40,000 students is a significant gap.
“In a show of commitment to resolving the issue, the Vice Chancellor specifically requested the presence of the Director of ICT and the Head of Student Affairs.
“Their attendance signals the university’s preparedness to explain the challenges and seek effective solutions,” he affirmed.
On his part, the university’s Director of ICT, Prof. Sunny Orike, emphasised that the application process involves multiple steps that many students fail to complete.
“We communicate and share information on our platforms. We’ve also designated a space in the city centre where students can come in and engage with our systems.
“We are committed to making that experience seamless, consistent, and accessible,” he said.
To address the gaps, he said the ICT team is developing a more structured approach to ensure that students are supported throughout key academic processes.
He added that the institution has set up designated systems and spaces where staff can assist students in real time.
“We don’t want them doing it alone. We plan to tag students, help with form applications, and ensure compliance with all necessary steps—memo issuance, communication, and follow-up,” he said.
The Director acknowledged the importance of ongoing training and compliance, stressing the need for both students and staff to be better prepared for the transition to more digital and centralised systems.
The President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Rizi Owabie, reaffirmed the union’s support for the government-backed funding programme, emphasising continued efforts to raise awareness among students.
Owabie noted that information had been disseminated both formally and informally, including during student receptions and one-on-one interactions. He also promised to intensify awareness campaigns about the importance of the loan.
