The University of Benin has announced that about 5,000 of its students will be barred from sitting second semester examinations after failing to pay school fees, despite what management described as “repeated reminders” and access to a government-backed loan scheme.
In a memo issued on Monday, the registrar, Ademola Bobola, said the affected students had not taken advantage of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), set up last year to provide financial support for tuition, upkeep and training in approved institutions.
The Senate of the university directed that the students be excluded from examinations, which began on 29 September, and ordered faculties and departments to publish lists of defaulters. A special enforcement task force, headed by the deputy vice-chancellor (academic), has been appointed to ensure compliance.
“About 5,000 students have been identified in this category of defaulters,” the memo stated. “These students shall not be allowed to write the forthcoming examination if they fail to pay their school charges or subscribe to the student loan by NELFUND.”
The university urged deans and heads of department to ensure the directive was enforced “without compromise”, saying it was necessary to preserve academic standards.
The development comes amid widespread economic hardship and concern about the affordability of higher education. NELFUND, created under legislation signed by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024, is meant to guarantee access to education loans for qualified Nigerians. But student unions and education rights groups have questioned the accessibility of the scheme, warning that bureaucratic bottlenecks and strict eligibility criteria could leave many excluded.
While UNIBEN insists its stance is in line with Senate policy, critics are likely to view the barring of thousands of students as evidence of the growing gap between government promises of access and the reality facing young people in Nigeria’s strained education system.
