The Presidency has described as “inaccurate and not correct” reports in the media earlier in the week that the Federal Government had increased tuition fees in federal universities.
The University of Lagos, for instance, was reported to increased fees for undergraduates to between N100,750 and N190,250 for returning students per session, depending on courses of study with medical and dentistry students paying the highest.
New undergraduates, according to the report, will pay between N126,325 and N190,250, also depending on their courses of study.
In a statement on Wednesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake said that, while some universities had announced “increase in the amount payable by students on sundry charges”, they are not tuition fees.
“The fact remains and we have confirmed that these are discretionary charges by each university for hostel accommodation, registration, laboratory and other charges”, he explained.
The statement further read: “Authorities of these universities even made this fact clear enough in explaining the rationale behind these new fees. For avoidance of doubts, federal universities in Nigeria remain tuition-free.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to his promise of ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of the economic situation of their parents, have access to quality tertiary education.
“In addition to the Students’ Loans Scheme, under the Student Loans Bill signed into law by President Tinubu last month, which will go into implementation ahead of the next academic session in September, the Federal Government will also strengthen other mechanisms to support indigent students.
“Parts of the government’s plans to make sure all diligent students complete their education on time, notwithstanding their parents’ financial situation, include work-study, merit-based scholarships and grants”.
