OAU, UNILAG…why Nigerian students are protesting tuition hike

Students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) protest as they insist on a 50% reduction of school fees. They refused to acknowledge the university’s ‘rare show of administrative magnanimity’ in the downward review of school fees following a previous fee hike protest, citing their inability to afford the fee.

The review shows that returning students in Humanities will now pay ₦76,000 instead of ₦89,200, while new students will pay ₦131,000 instead of ₦151,200. For Sciences and Technology, returning students’ fees have been reduced to ₦86,000 from ₦101,200, and new students will pay ₦141,000 instead of ₦163,200. Pharmacy and College of Health Sciences returning students will pay ₦109,000 instead of ₦128,200, and new students will pay ₦164,000 instead of ₦190,000, reflecting about 15% reduction overall for OAU students.

This fee reduction follows a broader trend of fee increments in federal universities across Nigeria due to funding challenges, which was further heightened with the introduction of the student loan bill in July. The affected schools include University of Maiduguri, Federal University Dutse, Federal University Lafia, University of Uyo, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Abuja, University of Benin, University of Lagos and most recently OAU which joined the league on the 13th of September. Some of these schools have up to a 200% fee increment, with UNILAG hitting up to 400%.

Recall that in July, Unilag increased its fee due to “prevailing economic realities.” The fee which was as low as ₦19,000 skyrocketed to ₦190,000. This led to a series of protests, the last being on the 13th of September. The protests however yielded tangible results asides tear gassing of protesters by the police, as it generated micro cuts in fees – a ₦10,000 reduction for new students and ₦20,000 for returning students.

Federal institutions are seen as the last hope of the poor masses in assessing tertiary education, but this seems to be unattainable at present. This increment across Federal schools even to secondary level has left students and parents distraught as there seems to be no going back, especially with the resumption of schools at the door. Students and parents have expressed concerns about the increment.

According to Mrs Loveth a teacher who has 3 children in Federal Universities, she said “They increased the school fees and everything is still the same. The increment of school fees is not bad if the standard of learning is improved, but it’s still the same, the lapses are still there. It’s not easy for us to pay, but we can’t ask the children to drop out of school, it’s difficult.”

Victor, a student of the University of Nigeria had this to say “It’s very inconsiderate and selfish from the school administration. The fee amount was doubled. Some of my classmates dropped out of school, and we had to raise the amount for some of them to pay up. The Nigerian economy is at its very worst and it affects all of us. However, some lecturers said it is a means adopted by both them and FG to sort out their salary debt.”

Prosper, a student of the University of Abuja, lamented about the situation saying that she and those around her were affected. She said “Some people didn’t have the money to pay till exam period. We had to go round classes to beg, so they could assist some classmates to pay the fees.”

Precious who has younger siblings in school said “I feel it’s not fair at all on parents and those self-sponsors. Even if there’s to be any increase, it should just be a little and not one that would weigh one down. The increase is excessive.”