Students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, have kicked against the management’s proposed 100 percent fee increase.
The Executive Council of the Students Union Government of the university, in a memo addressed to the student community, dated 28th December, 2025, stated that the students would only accept 25 percent fee increase.
Entitled “School Fees Increment Alert for the 2025/26 Academic Session”, the memo, signed by the President of the SUG, Comrade Chinedu Ozoagu, said the management of UNN held an emergency meeting with the leadership of the union to deliberate on issues bordering on students’ welfare.
According to him, “During the meeting, the management proposed a 100% increase in school fees to take effect from the 2025/26 academic session citing funding challenges.”
The students however affirmed their rejection of the increase. Quoting the memo, “Following an emergency meeting with management and consultations with students and leaders across UNN and UNEC campuses, the SUG rejected the 100% increase and resolved to accept a maximum of 25% increase if necessary, considering current economic realities. Students also strongly opposed any increase in hostel fees without improvements in living conditions.”
The SUG urged the management to “suspend hostel fee increases until conditions improve”, and assured the students “that dialogue continues and their interests remain the priority”.
Inquiries by NewsNGR show that school fees vary at the university, depending on the faculty. The fees range from N90,000 to N200,000 while hostel fees range from N25,000 to N100,000.
“We are not against hostel fee increases,” according to a student, Paulinus Ossai. “But go and see the hostels. Most of them are not habitable. They want to generate IGR from exploiting the students. The hostels where students pay around N100,000 were funded by Tetfund. Some rehabilitated ones attract higher fees, around N35,000. Old ones are N25,000. Some of these old ones are in bad shape. Things are difficult.”
Sabinus Ugwu lives in one of the hostels. He said, “The management should be considering how to improve the condition of the university generally. For almost four months now, there is no running water on campus. Power supply is epileptic. We are overwhelmed already. The management shouldn’t impose more burden on us.”
A member of the management of UNN, on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that, “UNN is among the cheapest federal universities in Nigeria. Universities are moving towards financial autonomy. You can’t get the best when you pay less. Everything is being subsidized, but the reality is the it is no longer sustainable.”
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