Following recent controversies over increased hostel fees, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced that classes will begin online to accommodate students affected by housing delays. Many students, especially those from outside Lagos, were left stranded over the weekend when they discovered their paid private hostel accommodations were unavailable.
Students reported paying up to N500,000 for private hostel stays in anticipation of the academic session starting Monday, October 27, 2024. Among them, a freshman described the situation as frustrating, stating that he had to secure alternative accommodations last minute. The complications followed substantial fee increases for on-campus housing, where main-campus hostel fees rose from N43,000 to N80,000, and medical students at Idi Araba now face N100,000 fees due to year-round residency.
Prof. Musa Obalola, Dean of Student Affairs at UNILAG, clarified that only private hostels are currently affected, while university-run hostels are still under renovation. He assured students that on-campus accommodations will be allocated once the facilities are fully prepared, adding that the temporary shift to online learning aims to prevent overcrowding while addressing the housing challenges.
In response, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the hostel fee hikes. NANS Senate President Akinteye Afeez Babatunde disputed claims that students consented to the new rates, calling them a severe financial burden. NANS announced plans to hold a National Congress at UNILAG to consolidate student opposition and warned that they are prepared to initiate an indefinite campus shutdown if their demands for more affordable housing are not met.
NANS also criticized the administration’s suggestion that students seek off-campus accommodations if unhappy with on-campus rates, describing it as an insensitive response to students already facing financial hardship. The association expressed concerns that rising education costs are limiting access and pledged a unified response to advocate for students’ rights.
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