Nigeria: Ignore Fake Newspaper Graphic Claiming Nigerian President Tinubu Said Student Loan Defaulters Face Life Imprisonment

A circulating online newspaper graphic falsely claims that Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced that students who default on their education loans will face life imprisonment. However, this assertion is entirely fabricated. The Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act 2024 does not provide for life imprisonment as a consequence of loan default.

The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (Nelfund) dismissed the claim as false on its official X account, stamping the graphic as "FAKE." No credible Nigerian newspaper by the name "The Daily Tribune" exists, nor is there any evidence that the government or any recognized newspaper originated this false claim. The fear-mongering nature of such statements could discourage eligible students from applying for loans.