House of Reps Acts to Stop School Fees Increase in Nigeria

On October 27, the House of Representatives moved to halt the recent increase in school fees by public tertiary institutions, citing concerns over the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). The House urged the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission to engage with public institutions to suspend fee hikes and review tuition structures in light of current economic conditions.

This action followed a motion by Hon. Ifeoluwa Ehindero, the chairman of the House Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships, and Higher Education Financing. Ehindero highlighted that NELFUND was established to provide interest-free loans to indigent students for accessing tertiary education.

He expressed concern that sudden fee increases, some exceeding 100%, threaten the sustainability of the loan program and may disproportionately affect students from less affluent backgrounds. The House mandated its relevant committees to investigate the justification for these fee increases, which could lead to increased student dropouts and unrest.