Lagos, Nigeria – Once regarded as the most affordable path to personal advancement and national development, higher education in Nigeria’s federal universities is becoming alarmingly out of reach for many. A wave of tuition hikes sweeping across institutions has sparked outrage, concern, and an urgent national conversation about the future of accessible education in Africa’s most populous nation.
The sharp rise in university fees, justified by administrators as a response to inflation, infrastructural costs, and reduced federal subsidies, is being met with backlash from students, parents, unions, and education advocates who warn that Nigeria may be on the brink of educational elitism — where only the wealthy can afford to learn.
A Sector-Wide Surge in Costs
At the center of the debate is David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Ebonyi State, where tuition now exceeds ₦1 million for some programmes. Pharmacy students pay ₦1,030,000, while fees for Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Optometry, and related courses stand at ₦730,000. Other courses such as Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry, and Computer Science cost ₦530,000. Although hostel accommodation is included, the total cost remains prohibitively expensive for average Nigerian families.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) followed suit in 2023, raising tuition from an average of ₦20,000 to between ₦126,000 and ₦226,325, depending on the faculty. Similar hikes were recorded at University of Ibadan (UI) — Nigeria’s oldest university — where students now pay between ₦110,000 and ₦150,000, a sharp jump from the previous ₦30,000. Faculties requiring laboratory components bear higher costs.
The Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) have also introduced steep fee adjustments. FUOYE now charges ₦150,000 to ₦170,000 for science-based courses, while OAU requires new students to pay up to ₦163,000, and returning students between ₦89,000 and ₦128,000.
Meanwhile, at University of Jos (UNIJOS), fees have climbed to ₦120,000 to ₦150,000, with management attributing the increase to operational costs and federal funding shortfalls.
Hidden Costs: Hostels and Acceptance Fees
Beyond tuition, non-refundable acceptance fees and accommodation costs add to the burden. At UI, acceptance fees are ₦50,000, while hostel accommodations range from ₦40,000 to ₦60,000. At UNILAG, students pay ₦25,000 to ₦80,000 for hostels, depending on amenities and location.
For many families, especially those earning minimum wage, the total cost of sending a child to university now borders on the impossible.
A Nation at Risk of Educational Inequality
The immediate impact is visible. Some students have deferred admissions, taken part-time jobs, or turned to crowdfunding to remain enrolled. Others are considering polytechnics, online learning platforms, or foreign scholarships.
Civil servants, artisans, and small business owners say they are being priced out of the education system. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have both decried the hikes, calling them anti-poor, and warning that they contradict national goals of youth empowerment and economic inclusion.
Student Loans: Solution or Mirage?
In response to public outcry, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reactivated the Student Loan Scheme — a long-promised initiative aimed at helping undergraduates in public institutions afford their education. While the move is commendable, education experts and economists warn that the scheme's viability hinges on job creation.
“How can graduates repay loans when the job market is already oversaturated?” asked one policy analyst. With rising youth unemployment and widespread underemployment, critics fear that the loan scheme may trap students in cycles of debt unless paired with robust economic reforms.
Urgent Need for a National Education Rescue Plan
Observers say what’s required is a multi-pronged strategy:
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Fair tuition regulation in public universities
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Increased government subventions and TETFUND interventions
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Job creation policies to sustain graduate employability
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Expanded scholarship and grant programs for low-income students
Without swift intervention, the widening cost gap threatens to undo decades of progress in access to education. Experts warn that the fallout may include rising dropout rates, brain drain, youth restiveness, and further erosion of the middle class.
The Bottom Line
The message is clear: Nigeria’s dream of inclusive development cannot survive an exclusionary education system. Until tuition is made more equitable and student support systems are strengthened, university education — once the pride of every Nigerian home — risks becoming a privilege reserved only for the few.
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