Former LASU Vice-Chancellor suggests N1m annual tuition for Nigerian public universities

Former Lagos State University (LASU) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has suggested that public universities in Nigeria should charge at least N1 million in annual tuition to achieve financial independence. Reflecting on her five-year tenure, which concluded in September 2026, Olatunji-Bello argued that rising operational costs make it difficult for institutions to rely solely on government funding and low student fees.

During her administration, LASU’s internally generated revenue increased from approximately N3 billion to N13 billion. However, she noted that this remains insufficient to cover recurrent obligations, such as a monthly payroll exceeding N1 billion and monthly electricity costs of N140 million. She contrasted current university fees, which can be as low as N100,000 annually, with secondary school fees that sometimes exceed N1 million per term.

To improve financial stability, Olatunji-Bello highlighted revenue-generating initiatives implemented at LASU, including the introduction of over 75 postgraduate programmes, expanded digital services, consultancy, and new academic partnerships.