The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has officially denied reports circulating about an increase in tuition fees or other mandatory charges for its undergraduate students. The university clarified that the recent adjustments observed on student portals are not indicative of a new fee hike. Instead, these changes are a direct consequence of a directive from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund) to consolidate all payable charges into a unified system.
This clarification was issued in response to concerns voiced by students earlier in the week. Upon noticing what they perceived as upward adjustments on their portals, many students expressed fears of a further fee increment, especially in light of the prevailing economic challenges impacting students and their families.
Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, the Head of UNILAG’s Communication Unit, emphasized that the updated figures represent a restructuring of existing fees, not an increase. She explained that these amounts reflect the combined faculty and departmental dues, which are now being collected as a single payment as mandated by NELFund.
Understanding the Changes on the Student Portal
Payment advice slips for returning students have shown adjusted charges and new categories under the consolidated payment system, even though there has been no fundamental increase in tuition fees.
For instance, departmental and faculty dues, which were previously around ₦2,000, are now listed as ₦15,000 on the student portal. Additionally, the UNILAG Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) fee has seen an increase from ₦5,000 to ₦7,500.
The portal also now includes new line items, such as:
- •Entrepreneurship fee – ₦5,000
- •Portal maintenance – ₦15,000
- •Student insurance policy – ₦1,250
- •Student support services – ₦1,250
- •Professional services – ₦7,500
- •General Studies (GST) – ₦5,000
These new categories have led to confusion among students, who question the university's claim of no fee increase when new charges are clearly visible.
The university asserts that these fees were not newly introduced but were previously collected informally by departments or faculties. UNILAG states that formalizing these payments through the official system will enhance transparency and ensure accurate accounting within the NELFund framework.
The Significance of the NELFund Directive
NELFund, an initiative providing interest-free loans to Nigerian students, has directed higher education institutions to centralize all student payments onto a single platform. This directive is intended to streamline the loan application process by allowing students to present a single, comprehensive bill that includes all legitimate academic dues.
Previously, many institutions, including UNILAG, required students to pay certain charges directly to their respective faculties or associations. These payments were often not reflected on the central university portal, creating complications for students seeking loans or refunds as not all expenditures could be verified under the university's main system.
UNILAG maintains that this restructuring aligns with NELFund's mandate for complete transparency. By integrating all legitimate payments, the university aims to assist students in securing financial aid that covers the full cost of their education.
“What we have done is in the best interest of the students so that when they apply for NELFund, they get funding that covers every bill they pay in school through a central system, which will also eliminate all other forms of payment outside the official portal,” Alaga-Ibraheem explained.
Despite the university's clarification, some students remain apprehensive. They express a belief that the consolidation process has indirectly led to higher overall costs, particularly for returning students who did not encounter these combined fees in previous academic sessions.
The substantial increase in faculty and departmental dues, from approximately ₦2,000 to ₦15,000, has raised concerns about affordability. Other students are worried about the timing of these adjustments, as they coincide with rising living expenses and approaching registration deadlines.
Future Implications and Next Steps
The university's clarification arrives as more Nigerian universities are beginning to implement NELFund's fee integration model. This nationwide shift towards centralized payment systems is poised to significantly alter how student finances are managed.
For students, this transition means that all charges, including tuition, health insurance, departmental fees, and student services, will now be processed through a single, transparent portal. While this approach aims to prevent duplicate payments and unauthorized levies, it also introduces new considerations regarding affordability and accountability.
The Ministry of Education and NELFund are expected to release more detailed guidelines on how universities should structure their fees under this new framework. In the interim, UNILAG has stated its commitment to ongoing engagement with students to explain the changes and ensure a smooth implementation process.