UNICAL Dismisses Refund Claims, Confirms Payment to NELFUND Beneficiaries

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has refunded tuition fees to 1,089 students under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme, while 2,090 additional refund applications are currently awaiting processing through the institution's newly introduced automated refund portal.

Speaking to journalists in Calabar on Friday, the University's NELFUND Desk Officer, Dr. Elizabeth Effiwatt, said the institution has successfully completed nine batches of manual refunds, stressing that UNICAL remains committed to transparency and accountability in the management of NELFUND disbursements.

She dismissed claims that the university had failed to refund students who paid their tuition fees before receiving NELFUND support, describing such reports as misleading.

"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.

Dr. Effiwatt disclosed that the refunds were carried out in nine batches involving 198, 104, 106, 105, 168, 26, 141, 99, 62, and 80 students, respectively.
She also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, for introducing the student loan initiative, describing it as a significant intervention in supporting students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the University's Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Dr. Eyo Essien, announced that UNICAL has launched a digital refund platform that enables students to apply for tuition payments and refunds electronically without visiting any office.

According to him, the institution has received 2,090 refund applications through the new portal in less than one month. He explained that the next phase of payments has been temporarily paused to allow for proper reconciliation of records before further disbursements.

Essien noted that the digital system has replaced the previous manual process, making refund applications faster, easier, and more transparent. He added that students can complete the entire process using their mobile phones without paying any processing fee.

He further stated that the innovation places the University of Calabar among the first higher institutions in Nigeria to deploy a fully digital refund system for NELFUND beneficiaries.

The university reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all eligible students receive their refunds while maintaining an efficient, transparent, and accountable payment process.