The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has urged university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students to maintain consistent mobile money numbers throughout their studies to avoid delays or failed loan disbursements.
In a statement issued on October 15, 2026, HELB advised beneficiaries to ensure that their mobile money details remain consistent with the information provided during their loan applications.
“One number. No confusion. Keep the same mobile money number registered with HELB throughout your studies to avoid delayed or failed disbursements,” the board stated.
HELB warned that students who change their mobile money numbers without updating their records risk experiencing disruptions in receiving upkeep funds and other loan payments.
The advisory comes amid concerns over returned funds arising from incorrect or outdated student payment details.
According to HELB Chief Executive Officer Ekwee Ethuro, up to 40 per cent of returned funds are attributed to students providing incorrect or updated account information, highlighting the importance of maintaining accurate records.
The warning also comes at a time when more than 140,000 university and TVET students have reportedly been affected by challenges involving loan allocations and funding shortages.
First-year students have also faced processing delays linked to late issuance of National Identity Cards and mismatches between examination index numbers and identification details submitted through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal.
Students experiencing delays in receiving their funds have been advised to log into the HEF portal and verify that their registered mobile money numbers, bank account details and identification information are accurate.
Beneficiaries who have changed their contact or banking details should update their profiles to ensure HELB has the correct information before subsequent disbursements are processed.
Students whose payments are returned because of incorrect account details may receive SMS notifications. Payments can be reprocessed once the relevant information has been corrected and updated.
Those experiencing persistent difficulties correcting their application details have been encouraged to seek assistance at the nearest Huduma Centre or HELB office.
HELB’s latest advisory serves as a reminder to students to keep their payment information accurate and up to date to minimise avoidable disruptions in accessing funds intended to support their education and upkeep.
