(DDM) – Students of the University of Nigeria (UNN) have expressed frustration over the latest school fee adjustment, describing it as insufficient to ease financial pressures.
DDM gathered that the university had initially proposed a fee increase from around N90,000 to N240,000, depending on the course.
Following negotiations with student representatives, the management announced a reduction of 60 percent, bringing some fees down to N176,000 for the current session.
Despite this reduction, many students say the fees remain too high, particularly when combined with hostel and other expenses.
Veronica Okonkwo, a final-year student, said the sum is challenging for her family to meet.
“When they said they reduced the fee, we thought it would be significant. My mother is struggling to cope,” she lamented.
Another student, IK Eze, accused the management of misleading the student body.
“How can they claim a sixty percent reduction when we are paying N176,000 after increasing from below N100,000? The fee is still extremely high,” he argued.
Eze compared UNN’s fees with other federal universities, noting that Ahmadu Bello University charges roughly N98,000, highlighting UNN’s rising cost.
He warned that the steep fees could make access to university education increasingly difficult for Nigerian families.
Engineering student Oliver Ogbodo urged the administration to demonstrate that the fee increment will improve university infrastructure.
“They claim the increase is for infrastructure development, but we have yet to see tangible improvements. Judicious use of our funds is necessary to justify this hike,” he stated.
Ogbodo added that any mismanagement could provoke strong student backlash, emphasizing accountability in fund usage.
In a separate development, UNN has finalized plans to establish an International Centre for African and Taiwan Studies to boost academic collaboration with Taiwan.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Uchenna Ortuanya, said the proposed centre will focus on business development, education, and security studies.
He explained that the centre aligns with UNN’s vision to expand global partnerships and become a leading research hub in Africa.
The Ambassador of Taiwan to Nigeria, Mr. Andy Yih-Ping Liu, visited the Vice-Chancellor and praised UNN’s proactive approach to international academic cooperation.
He emphasized the importance of research collaboration and academic exchange for mutual benefit, reinforcing the university’s commitment to global engagement.
As UNN navigates fee controversies, the balance between financial sustainability, infrastructure development, and student affordability remains under scrutiny.
Parents, students, and stakeholders continue to monitor the university’s actions closely, hoping for measures that truly ease the financial burden on families.
This ongoing tension underscores broader challenges faced by Nigerian universities in funding education while maintaining accessibility and quality.
DDM will continue to follow developments on the UNN fee adjustment and the impact of the upcoming international academic initiatives.
