SaharaReporters had reported how the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University announced an increment in its tuition fees.
Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in South-West Nigeria, on Tuesday morning, protested at the school's main gate to demand an immediate reduction of the increased school fees.
A students’ leader of the university confirmed this to SaharaReporters, adding that the students shut down the campus gate during the protest.
In September, SaharaReporters had reported how the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University announced an increment in its tuition fees.
The new fees were disclosed in a statement released by the school authorities in a post made on X, formerly Twitter amid rising inflation and hikes in petrol prices following the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.
The new fees range from N89,000 to N190,000 depending on the courses and the academic level of the students.
Returning students previously paid between N19,000 and N31,000 while fresh students paid between N70,000 and N100,000 depending on their course of study.
The post reads: “The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has announced adjustments to the fees payable by students for the upcoming academic year.
“The adjustments were considered and approved at an emergency meeting of the University Senate held on Tuesday, 12th September 2023.
“The new fee structure for the various Faculties is as follows: Faculties of Arts, Law, and Humanities: Freshers: N151,200, Returning students: N89,200. Faculties of Technology and Science: Freshers: N163,200, Returning students: N101,200. Faculties in the College of Health Sciences and Faculty of Pharmacy: Freshers: N190,200, Returning students: N128,200. The University management wishes to reiterate that these adjusted fees are applicable for an academic session.”
The development had come barely two weeks after another federal university – University of Lagos – increased tuition fees.
UNILAG fees were increased from about N20,000 to over N100,000 depending on the course of study.
Nigeria’s first university, University of Ibadan, also recently announced increment in tuition fees.