A member of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) Board representing students, Umar Farouk Lawal, has challenged former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to produce evidence backing his claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees at Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Lawal, reacting to a statement attributed to Atiku that he would review NELFUND if elected president, said there was no directive from President Tinubu ordering federal or state-owned tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees.

“I wish to state categorically that at no time has Mr. President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ordered the increment of tuition fees in any federal or state-owned tertiary institution in Nigeria,” Lawal said.

He challenged Atiku, his team and heads of tertiary institutions across the country to produce any presidential directive, circular, memo, letter or official document supporting the allegation.

According to Lawal, political debates on education must be anchored on facts and verifiable evidence, particularly when such claims could affect public perception of policies designed to support Nigerian students.

He also rejected the characterization of NELFUND as merely a government response to alleged increases in school fees, describing the Fund as a broader intervention aimed at expanding access to tertiary education and easing financial pressure on students and their families.

As of April 2026, Lawal said, more than 1.38 million students had benefited from NELFUND, with over N242 billion disbursed in tuition and upkeep support.

“If Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes that NELFUND requires a review, Nigerians deserve to know what exactly he intends to review, what aspect of the existing framework he considers inadequate, and how his proposed alternative will improve upon the support currently being provided to students,” he said.

Lawal also questioned reports that Atiku’s proposal could include debt forgiveness for qualifying NELFUND beneficiaries, asking how such a policy would be financed and implemented without threatening the sustainability of the student-loan scheme for future beneficiaries.

He stressed that decisions by individual tertiary institutions to review or adjust charges should not automatically be attributed to the President, noting that federal and state institutions have governing structures and authorities responsible for determining institutional charges within applicable regulations.

According to him, NELFUND has itself raised concerns over reports of arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges and has pledged to protect the interests of students.

Lawal further said the Tinubu administration had demonstrated a commitment to expanding access to higher education through NELFUND, citing a more recent Presidency report which stated that more than 1.64 million students had accessed tuition and upkeep support, with over N322 billion disbursed through 315 higher institutions.

He urged political leaders, especially presidential candidates, to make “constructive, evidence-based and student-centred” contributions to the national debate on education.

“Nigerian students should not become victims of political narratives or misinformation,” Lawal said, adding that it would be wrong to discredit an initiative that has provided tangible support to millions of students without credible evidence.