If your Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) application is still showing pending, you are not alone. Since the rollout of the student loan scheme in 2024, many applicants across federal and state institutions have reported delays between application, approval, and actual disbursement.
Here’s what is happening and what students should do if payment has yet to arrive:
Why is your NELFUND loan still pending?
A pending status does not automatically mean your application has been rejected. In most cases, it indicates your loan is still within the verification or processing stage.
There are three common reasons this occurs.
1. Incomplete institutional verification
Before funds are released, your institution must verify your student status and confirm your tuition details with NELFUND. If your school has not completed this step, your application cannot move forward.
This is often the biggest bottleneck in the process. Even if you submitted your application early, payment will not be processed until your institution confirms your details.
2. Approval does not mean instant payment
Some students see an “approved” status on their dashboard and expect immediate disbursement. However, approval is only one stage of the process.
After approval, payments still go through reconciliation between NELFUND, institutions, and financial partners. This creates a gap between approval and when the funds reflect either in your school’s account for tuition or in your personal account for upkeep.
3. Incorrect or incomplete bank details
For students receiving upkeep allowances, incorrect bank information can cause delays. If your banking details do not match the records submitted during your application, disbursement may be paused until corrections are made.
What students should do if they haven’t received payment
1. Check your dashboard carefully
Log in to the official portal and confirm your current status. Whether it reads pending, verified, or approved, avoid submitting a second application for the same academic session. Duplicate entries can complicate your record and slow down processing.
2. Review your information
Confirm that your matriculation number, Institution name, course of study and Bank details match exactly what your institution has on file. Even minor inconsistencies can trigger delays.
3. Contact your school directly
Reach out to your institution’s bursary, registry, or ICT unit to confirm whether your details have been verified and uploaded correctly to NELFUND. If verification has not been completed on the institution’s end, no payment can proceed.
4. Use official support channels
If your loan shows an approved status for an extended period without disbursement, file a complaint through the official NELFUND support channel. Include your application ID and relevant details.
Avoid middlemen or unofficial agents. The process is handled directly between the applicant, the institution, and NELFUND.
What if you already paid your tuition?
Some students paid their school fees out of pocket while waiting for disbursement. In such cases, institutions are expected to reconcile payments once NELFUND releases the funds.
Keep your payment receipts and confirm with your bursary department whether your name is listed among the beneficiaries. Ask about the refund or adjustment process in your school.
Documentation will be important in this situation.
The bottom line
A pending NELFUND status usually signals a processing gap, not a failed application. In most cases, the delay sits at the institutional verification stage or within post-approval reconciliation.
Students who take the following three deliberate steps tend to resolve issues faster:
- Confirm their application details are accurate.
- Follow up directly with their institution’s bursary or ICT unit.
- Escalate through official NELFUND support if approval has stalled without payment.
The system is still evolving, and administrative bottlenecks are part of that reality. What matters is knowing where the delay is likely coming from and responding strategically rather than reactively.
Clarity, documentation, and consistent follow-up usually make the difference between waiting indefinitely and getting answers.