NANS issues seven-day ultimatum to varsities over hike in tuition fees
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has issued a seven-day notice to tertiary institutions that have imposed arbitrary tuition fee increases to open dialogue with Student Union Governments (SUGs) in their respective institutions for a review of the increments, warning that failure to engage constructively could trigger a peaceful but coordinated student response.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the newly sworn-in Coordinator of NANS Southwest Zone D, Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, described the hikes as a direct assault on accessible public education, noting that some fees now amount to 10 to 20 times the national minimum wage.
“After a thorough review of the situation across Southwest campuses, this administration has identified several institutions that have imposed unconscionable fee hikes without due process or consideration for student welfare. We hereby issue a seven-day notice of engagement, effective from today, February 18, 2026, to the management of affected institutions to open dialogue with student union governments in their respective institutions and review these increments in the interest of accessibility and fairness,” he said.
Kayode also raised concerns over the escalating cost of off-campus accommodation across the region, disclosing that rent in many student communities now rivals or exceeds tuition fees. According to him, single rooms cost between N150,000 and N250,000 in some areas, while self-contained apartments range from N350,000 to N600,000, with furnished hostels near the University of Ibadan reportedly reaching N1.3 million.
He called on state governments and Houses of Assembly across the Southwest to introduce student-sensitive tenancy regulations that prevent arbitrary rent hikes and discourage multiple-year upfront payment demands.
The association also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which it said has disbursed over N161 billion in interest-free loans to hundreds of thousands of students nationwide. It urged eligible students to take advantage of the scheme and called for its expansion to private tertiary institutions.
Kayode further reaffirmed the group’s commitment to restoring functional Student Union Governments in institutions where they have been banned or suppressed, describing unionism as a fundamental right for every Nigerian student.
He also frowned at the abuse of the NANS identity through the proliferation of fake vehicle number plates, which he said has severely damaged the reputation of the association. He added that, with immediate effect, there would be a temporary embargo on the production of NANS number plates within the zone. All existing users have been directed to submit their documents for scrutiny to verify their eligibility to use the NANS number plate. Proper authorisation will be granted only to those found eligible, while all number plates authorised before February 18, 2026, stand invalid going forward.
