UNN Fee Hike Sparks Protests As Management Cuts Proposal To 60%

UNN Fee Hike Sparks Protests As Management Cuts Proposal To 60 Percent
Management agrees with SUG to reduce increase to 60 percent
Students insist public universities should remain affordable

The proposed increase in tuition and sundry charges at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has continued to generate strong reactions from students, parents and lecturers, amid fears that the move could force many students out of the public institution.

The controversy followed an initial proposal by the university management to increase sundry charges by 100 percent for the 2025 2026 academic session. Under the plan, new students were also expected to pay an acceptance fee of ₦50,000, up from ₦30,000, a development that triggered protests and widespread criticism.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that students argued that the proposed hike was excessive and poorly communicated, especially given Nigeria’s current economic challenges. Many said the university, as a public institution, should remain accessible to students from low income backgrounds.

Reacting, a final year Mass Communication student, Nwabunwanne Chigozie, described the proposal as outrageous and warned that it could turn education into a privilege for the wealthy. He said many students chose UNN because of its relative affordability.

Another finalist, Cosmos Kenechukwu from the Department of Political Science, said the timing of the increase was wrong, noting that students already struggle with accommodation, feeding and study materials. He urged the management to explore alternative funding options instead of placing the burden on students and parents.

Parents also expressed concern. Mr Ikechukwu Aloysius, an artisan, said he might withdraw his children from the university if the increase took effect, while Mrs Evelyn Anyim described the hike in acceptance fees as unfair to families who had already planned based on previous costs.

Some lecturers who spoke anonymously warned that the increase could lead to mass withdrawals, stressing that even academic staff earn modest salaries and may struggle to fund their children’s education.

Following weeks of dialogue, the university management and the Students Union Government reached a compromise. In a statement, the Acting Public Relations Officer, Inya Agha Egwu, announced that the proposed 100 percent increase had been reduced to 60 percent.

He said the agreement allows students to pay the new charges in two instalments and confirmed that accommodation fees would not be increased for the session. Despite the concession, many students maintain that no increase should be implemented.