UNILAG debunks tuition fee hike for undergraduates

The University of Lagos, UNILAG, has clarified that it has not implemented any increase in tuition or related charges for undergraduate students, despite recent concerns raised by some students over apparent fee adjustments displayed on their online portals.

Earlier on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, several students reported what appeared to be higher payments for the new academic session, prompting speculation that the institution had introduced fresh charges.

According to the students, departmental and faculty dues, which were N2,000 last session, now appear as N15,000, while the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme, TISHIP, fee rose from N5,000 to N7,500.

Other items now reflected on the student portal include:

Entrepreneurship: N5,000
Portal maintenance: N15,000
Student insurance policy: N1,250
Student support services: N1,250
Professional services: N7,500
General Studies (GST): N5,000

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, the university’s Head of Communication, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, dismissed the claims of a fee hike, explaining that the figures were not new charges but rather a consolidation of multiple payments previously made at departmental and faculty levels.

According to her, the update was carried out in compliance with a directive from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, which instructed tertiary institutions to integrate all student-related payments into a unified online system.

“This measure is intended to simplify the loan application process for students under the NELFUND scheme, ensuring that all educational expenses are captured centrally and preventing any form of off-portal collections,” Alaga-Ibraheem stated.

She also explained that the total displayed on each student’s portal varies based on their academic programme and specific requirements.

The university, she stressed, has not increased its fees but merely restructured its payment system to enhance transparency and accessibility.