University of Ibadan Students Protest New Tuition Fees, Hit the Street

Hundreds of students of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, commenced a fresh protest in the early hours of Friday over the decision of its governing council to announce new tuition fees. The protest, which started at midnight, was sequel to a circular from the secretary of the council, G.O. Saliu, announcing increment in such fees.

This was contained in a circular that said its governing council had, at a meeting held on Thursday, approved a new schedule of levies for both newly admitted and returning undergraduate students for the 2023/2024 academic session as recommended by the University Senate. The circular also included a directive that stated, “Students who have not yet paid their fees and completed their registration are required to do so by Wednesday, September 4, 2024,” to ensure that departments can prepare lists of registered students in time for the first semester examinations.

The university council explained that the current economic situation was the basis for the increase of fees. The council advised the students to access the Federal Government’s student loan fund, scholarships from the university, and other well-wishers as a way of alleviating the financial burden on them. Despite all these provisions, the increase in fees has triggered a lot of unrest among the students.

This is in July when the institution was already dealing with unrest over fee increases, and three students appeared before a disciplinary panel over their involvement in a protest against a past increase in fees. The three students are Olamide Gbadegeshin from the Institute of African Studies, Aduwo Ayodele from the History Department 200 level, and Nice Linus, a female student. This naturally makes their participation in the protest one where discipline was called into action-the very tense atmosphere of the tuition fees issue at the university.

Speaking with newsmen on Friday, Aduwo Ayodele said: “As of 12:37am today, students of the University of Ibadan started protesting against the ratification of the increased fees by the council. This is a direct response to the recent circular released by the Governing Council.” Student protests mounted over increased fees that place much pressure on finances at a time when families are experiencing austerity.

The National Association of Nigerian Students also staged protests against the “outrageous” increases in fees for fresh students in April this year. They reasoned that the prevailing economic condition had already imposed a burden on families and that the increase in tuition fees further compounds these difficulties.

A situation at the University of Ibadan reflects a broader problem in most higher learning institutions in Nigeria, where growing economic pressures are translating into increasing costs for students. Ongoing protests underpin the tension between university administrations and students over the affordability of higher education.