The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has decided to reduce school fees by 5% to 20% in response to student protests against a fee hike announced in July. The initial fee increase had raised sessional mandatory charges for new undergraduate students to ₦126,325 for courses without labs/studios and ₦176,325 for courses with labs/studios, while returning students faced charges of ₦100,750 and ₦140,250, respectively.
Following a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the university management made several resolutions, including the reinstatement of UNILAG's student union government, which had been dissolved in 2016.
The new fee structure includes the following changes:
- Utility charges for all students were reduced from ₦20,000 to ₦15,000.
- Obligatory fees for new undergraduate students without labs/studios were reduced from ₦126,325 to ₦116,325, and for those with labs/studios, from ₦176,325 to ₦166,325.
- Obligatory fees for returning undergraduate students without labs/studios were reduced from ₦100,750 to ₦80,750, and for those with labs/studios, from ₦140,250 to ₦120,250. Medical/pharmacy students and students in health professions saw fees reduced from ₦190,250 to ₦170,250.
- The convocation fee for final-year students was reduced from ₦30,000 to ₦27,000.
The fee reductions represent a compromise between the university and protesting students, aiming to address their concerns and provide a more affordable education.
