NELFUND disowns visa sponsorship website, asks Nigerians Not to fall for scam

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has warned the public against a fraudulent website falsely claiming to offer foreign visa sponsorship, using the name and logo of NELFUND.

Mr Nasir Ayitogo, Head of Public Relations, disclosed this in a statement to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ayitogo said the website, being promoted on Facebook, redirected users to a site called labari.com.ng.

He stated that NELFUND had no affiliation with such a website or any similar scheme.

“NELFUND’s mission is solely to provide educational loans to eligible Nigerian students to further their academic pursuits within Nigeria.

“NELFUND does not offer visa sponsorships or related services, and any claims to the contrary are entirely false and misleading.”

He added that the fraudulent website was using NELFUND’s name and logo without authorisation to deceive the public, and the fund strongly advised everyone to exercise caution and refrain from engaging with the site or providing any personal information.

Ayitogo said the fund was taking immediate steps to address the situation, having reported the matter to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.

“We urge the public to rely solely on information provided through NELFUND’s official channels, including the website, www.nelf.gov.ng, and verified social media accounts.

“Any communication from NELFUND will be through these channels, and the public is encouraged to verify any suspicious information directly with us.”

Meanwhile, University of Ibadan says it has received the sum of N201,114,650 from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for 1,370 students of the institution for the 2023/2024 academic session.

The university’s Director of Public Relations, Mrs Joke Akinpelu, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Ibadan.

An internal memo, dated Aug. 9 but cited by NAN on Tuesday, stated that the money was paid into the institution’s account to cover the fees of the 1,370 students who applied for the loan.

The memo, signed by the institution’s Registrar, Mr Ganiyu Saliu, and addressed to Dean of Students, said that the bursary department was currently processing the fund to enable the concerned students obtain ‘smart receipt’.

“Any student who is a beneficiary of the NELFUND loan and has already paid levies for the session fee is entitled to a refund.

“To apply for a refund, the student must write through the Dean of Students to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, providing their account details for the refund.

“A photocopy of the original payment receipt must be attached to each application,” the memo, entitled: ‘Re: Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)’, stated.

According to the registrar, the information is only for those who applied for the NELFUND loan and whose applications were approved.