The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vehemently opposed the University of Lagos (UNILAG) management’s proposal for an annual increase in tuition and hostel accommodation fees. In a statement released on Friday, NANS Senate President Afeez Akinteye clarified that the student body has not reached any agreement regarding the fee hikes.
Akinteye emphasized that claims suggesting student representatives had accepted the proposal are false and denounced any attempt to use such misinformation to justify the increases. NANS firmly stands against any financial burdens imposed on students and their families, asserting that the assertion of financial necessity cannot be used to exploit students, especially when it jeopardizes access to education for many.
The organization also criticized the university management’s suggestion for students dissatisfied with hostel fees to seek off-campus accommodations, labeling it as insensitive to the financial realities faced by many students.
“If UNILAG moves forward with the fee hike, we will convene a National Congress on the campus, which will continue until the Students’ Union Government (SUG) is reinstated and a genuine fee review process is initiated,” Akinteye warned. He reiterated that NANS is prepared to shut down the institution if the administration remains unresponsive.
NANS concluded its statement by calling on all stakeholders to recognize that education is a right, not a privilege, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring fair and affordable access to education for Nigerian students.