Students at the University of Calabar are facing mounting frustration over delayed refunds of tuition fees paid ahead of receiving their Nigerian Education Loan Fund disbursements, with the agency directing complainants back to the institution.

NELFUND Director of Strategic Communications Oseyemi Oluwatuyi dismissed the agency's involvement in a WhatsApp message on Tuesday. "It's between them and their school. It has nothing to do with NELFUND," she stated.

The affected students, who spoke anonymously for fear of victimisation, said the situation had created confusion and financial hardship on campus. Many had borrowed money or made personal sacrifices to meet tuition deadlines, expecting reimbursement after their loan applications were processed.

Students told The Nation that beneficiaries had created a WhatsApp platform to track and announce refund payments, but no member had publicly confirmed receiving any reimbursement despite the university's claim that payments had already been made.

"Up until now, nobody has come out to say they have received any refund, yet the school is saying that payments have been made," one student disclosed.

The students also questioned the role of the Institution's NELFUND Desk Officer, Elizabeth Effiwatt, who is reportedly a member of the communication platform but has not responded to complaints raised on it.

"The desk officer is on the platform and sees everything happening there. If truly payments have been made, why has she not verified from students or addressed the complaints being raised on the platform?" a student queried.

The University had maintained that refunds had been processed for many students, a position that contradicts accounts from those on the WhatsApp platform who are yet to receive confirmation of any payment.