By Fawaz Adebisi
The Federal Government has clarified that despite the recent increment in ancillary fees at several universities nationwide, federal universities in Nigeria will continue to offer tuition-free education.
The announcement was made by the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Dele Alake, to dispel any confusion surrounding the fee hikes.
The clarification comes in the wake of Federal Unity Colleges increasing their school fees for new students from N45,000 to N100,000.
However, the government emphasized that this increase in fees at federal universities is unrelated to tuition and instead pertains to ancillary charges, covering services like hostel accommodation, registration, laboratory usage, and other miscellaneous fees.
The Presidency further emphasized that the government remains committed to its promise of ensuring that every Nigerian student has access to quality tertiary education, irrespective of their parents’ financial situation.
The statement titled ‘Federal Universities Remain Tuition-free’, stressed that “for the avoidance of doubts, federal universities in Nigeria remain tuition-free.”
It read, “we are aware that some universities have in recent weeks announced increases in the amount payable by students on sundry charges.”
“However, the fact remains and we have confirmed that these are discretionary charges by each university for hostel accommodation, registration, laboratory and other charges. They are not tuition fees.”
In line with this commitment, the President signed the Student Loans Bill into law in June, paving the way for the implementation of the Students’ Loans Scheme ahead of the next academic session starting in September.
According to Alake, the Federal Government is determined to support indigent students through various mechanisms.
Besides the Students’ Loans Scheme, other initiatives, including work-study programs, merit-based scholarships, and grants, will be strengthened to ensure that diligent students can complete their education on time without facing financial barriers.
The statement reassured students and their parents that the government remains dedicated to providing accessible and affordable education for all, and the recent increase in ancillary fees will not undermine the promise of tuition-free education at federal universities.
