Nigeria House of Representatives calls for halt to tertiary institution fee hikes

The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed a resolution urging the federal government to suspend recent fee increases at public tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The motion, sponsored by Ifeoluwa Ehindero of the All Progressives Congress, warns that these hikes—which in some cases exceed 100 per cent—threaten the sustainability and effectiveness of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Lawmakers noted that NELFUND was designed based on existing tuition benchmarks to provide interest-free loans to indigent students. Sudden, arbitrary increases could create disparities in loan allocation, making higher education inaccessible for low-income families. The House expressed concern that these hikes were implemented without adequate consultation or consideration of the economic hardships facing Nigerian households.

To mitigate the financial pressure on institutions, the House recommended that the federal government consider increasing subventions to public tertiary schools to reduce their reliance on internal revenue generation. The resolution aims to prevent increased student dropout rates, campus unrest, and a loss of public confidence in the government’s commitment to affordable education.