The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has dismissed as fake a viral publication claiming that President Bola Tinubu approved life imprisonment for students who fail to repay their education loans after graduation.

In a post on its official X account yesterday, it shared the doctored publication circulating online and marked it with a bold red “FAKE” stamp.

The manipulated image was designed to resemble the front page of The Daily Tribune, dated Thursday, May 27, 2027. It carried a headline claiming that Tinubu had ordered that students who failed to repay their loans after graduation be jailed for life.

The agency urged Nigerians to disregard the publication and rely on its official communication channels for information on the student loan scheme.

NELFUND has previously debunked several false claims about the programme, including fabricated circulars, reports of the suspension of upkeep payments and claims that beneficiaries must begin repayment while still in school or immediately after graduation.

Under the current framework, repayment does not begin immediately after graduation. Beneficiaries are required to commence repayment two years after completing the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, provided they are gainfully employed or earning an income.

Beneficiaries in paid employment repay through deductions from their salaries, based on a percentage of their earnings. Those who remain unemployed after the stipulated period may apply for an extension by submitting a sworn declaration confirming their employment status.

The student loan scheme operates under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, which was signed into law by Tinubu and re-enacted in 2024. The scheme provides interest-free loans to eligible students in public tertiary institutions to cover institutional charges and monthly upkeep.