Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
CALABAR, Nigeria – The UNICAL NELFUND refunds programme has reimbursed tuition payments to 1,089 students, while another 2,090 refund applications are being processed through a newly introduced digital platform, the University of Calabar says.
The university’s NELFUND Desk Officer, Elizabeth Effiwatt, announced the update on Friday in Calabar, saying the institution has completed nine batches of refunds under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme.
Effiwatt dismissed reports that eligible beneficiaries had not received their refunds, insisting that the reimbursement process has been conducted in phases to ensure transparency and accountability.
According to her, 1,089 students have successfully received refunds, while the university continues to process additional applications submitted by beneficiaries.
She described the Federal Government’s student loan initiative as a major intervention aimed at expanding access to higher education and easing the financial burden on students.
Effiwatt also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Akintunde Sawyerr for supporting the implementation of the NELFUND programme.
The Director of Information and Communication Technology, **Eyo Essien>, said the university has replaced its manual refund process with a fully automated online platform.
He explained that the digital system allows students to submit tuition payment and refund requests remotely using their personal devices, eliminating the need for physical visits to university offices.
According to Essien, the online platform has received 2,090 refund applications in less than one month, reflecting growing adoption among students.
He said processing of applications was temporarily paused to reconcile payment records before the next phase of refunds begins.
Essien emphasised that students are not required to pay any individual or intermediary to access refunds, describing the digital platform as a faster, more transparent and efficient process.
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Mirian Gom 
