The Federal High Court in Gusau has received a suit filed on behalf of 495 final year students of the Federal University Gusau, seeking a judicial order compelling the institution to refund registration fees allegedly withheld after the Nigerian Education Loan Fund disbursed duplicate tuition payments directly to the university.

The application for judicial review and an order of mandamus, filed by Tijjani Magaji of Al Inqaaz Legal Consults, names the university, its Vice Chancellor, Bursar and Director of Finance as respondents. Magaji is acting in the public interest on behalf of the affected students, whose names are attached to the court filings.

The students, all enrolled in the 2024/2025 academic session, had paid registration fees from personal funds before successfully accessing the Federal Government's student loan scheme. NELFUND subsequently disbursed tuition payments directly to the university on their behalf, resulting in duplicate payments. The students contend that the university acknowledged the refund obligation but failed to act within a reasonable period.

Before filing the suit, Magaji issued a pre action notice dated 27 April 2026, received by the Office of the Vice Chancellor on 28 April 2026. The notice granted the university 30 days to process the refunds or face litigation. The institution did not respond within the stipulated period.

The case arrives amid wider scrutiny of tertiary institutions accused of retaining duplicate NELFUND payments. Earlier this month, NELFUND Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr disclosed that the agency was investigating approximately 34 tertiary institutions over similar complaints. The Fund described the practice as contrary to the objectives of the student loan programme, which was designed to reduce financial barriers rather than create additional hardship for beneficiaries.

As of July 2026, NELFUND had disbursed over 282 billion naira to students across 353 participating public tertiary institutions, with more than 1.39 million beneficiaries enrolled under the scheme.

The National Association of Nigerian Students recently published a list of 39 tertiary institutions it alleged had received NELFUND payments without issuing corresponding refunds, describing the publication as a transparency measure.

Legal observers note the case may become one of the first judicial tests of university obligations under the NELFUND framework, potentially setting a precedent for similar disputes nationwide. The Federal University Gusau has not issued an official response.