The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Zone C, has commended the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, for transparency and expanding students’ access to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, while urging the university to sustain efforts aimed at improving student welfare, campus security and learning facilities.
The commendation came when the National President of NANS Zone C, Comrade Hassani Jamilu, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor on Friday July 3, 2026 as part of a campus tour designed to assess the wellbeing of students and strengthen collaboration between the national students’ body and the university management.
Speaking during the meeting, Comrade Jamilu said the visit provided an opportunity to interact with students, student leaders and other stakeholders on issues affecting academic life and campus development. He acknowledged the Vice Chancellor’s commitment to students’ welfare and described the engagement as a demonstration of management’s openness to constructive dialogue.
The NANS President appealed to the university to ensure that students whose tuition fees have already been paid are refunded once their NELFUND disbursements are received by the institution. He also called for greater attention to students facing financial challenges and advocated a stronger role for the Students’ Union Government in presenting students’ concerns to management.
He further expressed concern over security around the Felele and Crusher axis while urging the university to continue strengthening measures that would guarantee the safety of students within and around the campus environment.
In his response, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Gbenga Ibileye thanked the NANS delegation for the visit and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to building an institution founded on excellence, discipline, integrity and respect for shared values.
Professor Ibileye disclosed that the university has made remarkable progress in expanding access to NELFUND. According to him, the number of beneficiaries has increased from about 2,400 students to well over 12,000, with ongoing efforts to ensure that more eligible students benefit from the intervention.
On the issue of tuition reimbursement, the Vice Chancellor explained that the university is developing a student wallet strategy to simplify the refund process. He assured the delegation that there were no outstanding challenges with NELFUND implementation, noting that the Bursary Department is already processing the necessary procedures.
Professor Ibileye also highlighted ongoing reforms in the university’s financial administration. He explained that funds would be devolved to faculties, departments and directorates to improve operational efficiency while maintaining strict accountability through established monitoring and auditing mechanisms.
On infrastructure and students’ mobility, the Vice Chancellor said the university is pursuing several projects aimed at making learning more convenient and secure. He disclosed that plans are underway for the construction of a pedestrian bridge across the highway leading to the campus and the provision of additional buses to ease transportation between the Adankolo and Felele campuses.
He added that the institution is also processing the acquisition of five electric buses imported from China, twenty solar-powered electric tricycles for movement within the campuses.
