The Nigerian Federal Government has reasserted its stance that no federal university within the country is permitted to impose tuition fees on students. Mr. David Adejo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, reaffirmed this position during a public hearing conducted by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on student loans in Abuja on Tuesday.
“What they collect is charges to cover the cost of accommodation, ICT, and power, among others. It is the Governing Councils of the Universities that have the power to approve such charges for them.
“The only university that increased charges after the signing of the student loans act is the University of Lagos.
“They came to the Ministry with a proposal to increase their charges because all Governing Councils were dissolved and we gave them approval.
“Immediately that was done, there was a resolution from the House stopping the increase in fees and the President also gave a directive stopping any increase in fees and that is where it is, even though several others have brought their proposal,” he said.
Adejo clarified that the fees collected by educational institutions are designated for specific services, including covering electricity bills. He refuted allegations that the recent enactment of the Students' Loan Act was responsible for the upward surge in university charges. Despite the fee collections, Adejo acknowledged that the universities have struggled to cover certain expenses.
He confirmed the establishment of plans for the implementation of the student loans scheme during the 2023/2024 academic year. President Bola Tinubu issued a directive to ensure the completion of all necessary groundwork for the scheme's initiation in September.
Teseer Ugbor, the committee's chairman, noted that the student loan initiative is part of the Federal Government's efforts to mitigate the hardships faced by Nigerians and to guarantee access to higher education for those interested. However, he expressed reservations about the distribution process, the recovery of funds from beneficiaries, and the potential exclusion of some students from loan access. He called for open discussions during the process of amending the law, aiming to ensure equitable benefits for all Nigerian students seeking to avail the loan.