Oye insists on probe of N373b NELFUND disbursements

The Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) has demanded the immediate payment of outstanding salaries and other entitlements owed to university lecturers, warning that its commitment to dialogue should not be mistaken for a lack of resolve to pursue lawful trade union action.

This was as the Chairman, Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE), Dele Oye, called for clarity and accountability in the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), following the disbursement of N372.62 billion in institutional fees and student upkeep allowances.

CONUA accused relevant authorities of delaying the conclusion of its proposed agreement with the Federal Government, insisting that official recognition must translate into meaningful collective bargaining and a binding agreement.

Among the outstanding payments it wants settled are three and a half months of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, irregular payments of recently approved entitlements and arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent wage awards.

The union made the demands during a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held at the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) over the weekend, where it reviewed the proposed agreement with the Federal Government and other issues affecting lecturers’ welfare and the administration of universities.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the union urged the Federal Ministries of Education and Labour and Employment, alongside other relevant negotiating authorities, to conclude negotiations without further delay.

It expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the proposed Federal Government-CONUA Agreement, whose latest draft is dated September 2026, arguing that prolonged negotiations and unresolved welfare issues continued to leave academics in financial uncertainty.

“The welfare and legitimate entitlements of academics are obligations to be honoured, not favours to be granted,” the union declared.

CONUA also called on government authorities and university management to promptly pay all verified outstanding entitlements, maintain transparent payment records, and provide clear information to affected staff.

While reaffirming its commitment to dialogue, the union made clear that it retained the option of pursuing lawful industrial action if the circumstances warranted it.

The National President of CONUA, Dr ‘Niyi Sunmonu, urged the Federal Government to conclude its proposed agreement with the union without further delay, insisting that its recognition must translate into meaningful collective bargaining and improved welfare for members.

Sunmonu, while speaking with reporters after the NEC meeting, said the union would resort to lawful trade union action if the government failed to address its concerns.

OYE, in a commentary on the Federal Government’s 90-day economic action plan, said the scale of the disbursement underscored the need for clear service standards, transparent reporting and effective complaint-resolution mechanisms to ensure that beneficiaries receive the support they need on time.

According to the NELFUND Student Loan Disbursement Report generated on October 3, 2026, the fund had disbursed N372.62 billion as of September 29, 2026, while processing 1,659,853 applications.

While acknowledging the importance of the scheme, Oye said the amount disbursed should not be treated as the sole measure of its performance, stressing that the government must also demonstrate how efficiently the programme serves students.

He called on NELFUND to publish service standards covering application decisions, institutional payments, and upkeep transfers, as well as aggregated data on approval and rejection rates and payment timelines.

Publishing measurable results, he added, would help Nigerians assess whether government interventions are translating into tangible improvements in their lives rather than remaining figures in official announcements.

Oye described the National Economic Council’s 90-day economic action plan as a welcome recognition of the country’s cost-of-living crisis, but warned that its success would depend on clear targets, defined responsibilities and transparent implementation.

The plan, endorsed by NEC on October 22, 2026, identifies five priority areas: food affordability, tax harmonisation, high-impact projects, investment bottlenecks and regulated household support.