The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone (Zone D), has strongly condemned what it described as an “insensitive and exploitative” increase in tuition fees at Osun State University (UNIOSUN).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Zone’s Secretary General, Comrade Oluwole Olutunde Aboke (O’Destiny), the student body expressed outrage over what it considers an ongoing trend of commercialization of education in the institution.
According to NANS, the university’s recent decision to raise fees comes at a time when many Nigerian families are already struggling financially.
The association faulted the school for admitting only about 11,385 students out of more than 41,000 candidates who paid for the Post-UTME screening, calling the process exploitative since the management was aware of the limited admission capacity.
NANS further criticized the financial demands placed on newly admitted students, who are required to pay ₦50,000 for acceptance, ₦40,000 for medical screening, ₦20,000 for library registration, in addition to hostel accommodation fees now exceeding ₦145,000. These charges, the association said, have “made life increasingly difficult for students and their sponsors.”
The statement also noted that most physical projects on the UNIOSUN campus are funded by TETFUND and the Osun State Government, arguing that this undermines any justification for the heavy financial burden placed on students.
The association added that the tuition hikes have led to an escalation in off-campus accommodation costs, as landlords take advantage of the situation.
NANS called on the Osun State Government to urgently intervene and compel the university management to reverse what it described as “anti-student policies.”
It also urged the government to address the sharp rise in accommodation costs around the campus by engaging landlords, community leaders, and housing associations to regulate rent prices.
Warning of possible unrest, the association said the situation was becoming unbearable for many students and could trigger a major crisis if not resolved promptly.
“The students of Osun State and the entire Southwest deserve better,” the statement said. “Education must remain a right, not a privilege reserved for the rich.”
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