UNILORIN Students Cry Out Over ‘Outrageous’ Tuition Hike As Fees Rise Up To ₦406,000 For 2025/2026 Session
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have raised an alarm over what they describe as an “outrageous and inconsiderate” increase in tuition fees for the 2025/2026 academic session, accusing the institution’s management of imposing unbearable financial burdens on them amid Nigeria’s harsh economic realities.
According to a report by Sahara Reporters, the University quietly uploaded the new fee structure on its payment portal without any official announcement or student consultation. The discovery has since sparked outrage on campus, with students decrying what they termed a deliberate attempt to exploit their financial struggles.
Massive Increment Across Departments
Akahi News gathered that the newly uploaded fee schedule shows an increment of between ₦70,000 and ₦150,000 across most departments. In some cases, the new figures nearly double what students paid in the previous session.
For instance, students in the Faculty of Agriculture are now expected to pay ₦279,000 per session, while those in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery will pay about ₦389,000. Pharmacy students top the list with ₦406,888 per session — a rate that now rivals some private universities in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, students in Criminology and Security Studies lamented that their fees have jumped from about ₦96,000 last session to almost ₦239,000 this year. Departments such as History and International Relations now charge ₦156,000, while Computer Science students are billed ₦263,388.
A breakdown of other new charges reportedly shows:
- Biochemistry: ₦252,000
- Food Science: ₦284,888
- Physiotherapy: ₦326,084
- Medical Laboratory Science: ₦326,084
- Optometry: ₦252,388
- Microbiology: ₦252,388
- Political Science: ₦235,000
- Linguistics: ₦259,064
- Education (English): ₦234,064
Foreign students are not exempted either, as they are now expected to pay as high as ₦1.2 million per session.
Students Decry “Unfair” and “Inconsiderate” Decision
Reactions from students have been overwhelmingly negative. Many took to social media and campus forums to voice their anger, accusing the management of showing “a total lack of empathy.”
“Last year we paid ₦96,000, but this year our increment is more than ₦70,000. It’s shocking and inconsiderate,” one student of Criminology and Security Studies lamented.
“UNILORIN was supposed to be a federal university accessible to all, but it’s now turning into a business centre.”
Another student expressed frustration over the short deadline for payment, noting that the portal was opened barely two weeks before late registration begins.
“The funniest part is that they gave us only 11 days to pay before late registration starts. How do they expect us to raise such money in this economy?”
Students also linked the hike to the introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), alleging that universities are now using the scheme as a pretext to raise fees.
“They assume everyone can get NELFUND, but that’s not true. Many students were rejected, and even those accepted won’t receive the money before the payment deadline,” a 400-level student said.
“Profiting Off Poverty” — Students Accuse UNILORIN Management
For many undergraduates, the increment represents more than just a financial challenge — it reflects a systemic neglect of public education in Nigeria.
“UNILORIN is supposed to stand for excellence and affordability, but now it’s like they’re profiting off poverty,” a 300-level Education student said. “Even private universities don’t increase school fees without due communication.”
Students further criticised the lack of transparency in the process, alleging that the new fees were “secretly uploaded” on the university’s portal without any official communication from the management.
“No memo, no meeting, no justification. They just uploaded it silently,” another student complained.
Economic Realities Deepen Students’ Struggles
The timing of the tuition hike could not be worse. With Nigeria’s inflation rate soaring above 30%, and the cost of food, accommodation, and transportation skyrocketing, students and their parents are barely managing to survive.
Akahi News observed that many of the affected students depend on low-income parents, petty trading, or part-time jobs to sustain their education. The new development, according to them, may force some to drop out entirely.
“Most of us are children of civil servants earning ₦70,000 per month. How can they pay ₦200,000 for one child, not to mention those who have more than one child in school?” a parent reportedly asked.
Broader Implications For Public Education
Observers believe the UNILORIN fee hike underscores a growing crisis in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, where inadequate funding has left federal universities struggling to maintain operations. Many institutions have resorted to arbitrary fee increases to cover running costs.
Educational analysts warn that such trends could widen inequality, denying access to higher education for thousands of deserving but financially disadvantaged students.
“When a federal university starts charging ₦400,000 per session, it defeats the essence of public education,” said a university lecturer who pleaded anonymity. “We are slowly privatising public universities by stealth.”
Calls for Reversal Grow
As anger mounts, student leaders and concerned stakeholders are calling on the university management and the Federal Government to intervene urgently. Some groups are already mobilising for peaceful protests and petitions to the National Assembly.
“We will not sit idly by while education becomes a privilege for the rich,” a student union representative declared. “We call on the Vice-Chancellor and the Federal Ministry of Education to reverse this exploitative policy.”
The UNILORIN fee hike has once again highlighted the deepening cracks in Nigeria’s public education system. While managements cite operational costs and underfunding, students insist that the burden should not be transferred to them in a country battling record inflation and mass poverty.
As tensions build on campus, it remains to be seen whether the university authorities will yield to the growing outcry or insist on enforcing the new tuition regime.
Akahi News will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as the story unfolds.
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