The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has budged on the demands of the students protesting against the institution’s recent fee hike.
In a statement on Thursday night following a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the university management granted micro fee cuts to the students who have been demanding a reversal of the hike.
In July, UNILAG announced an upward review in its fees meant to take effect from September 1.
This put the sessional mandatory charges for new undergraduate students at ₦126,325 for courses without a lab/studio and ₦176,325 for one academic session for courses that use a laboratory or studio.
The sessional mandatory charges for returning students were put at ₦100,750 for courses without labs and studios while that of courses with access to labs and studios were fixed at ₦140,250.
UNILAG also said the approved charge for all medical students of the institution is ₦190,250.
For many, these rates amounted to a hike of over 600%.
The students began a protest on September 6 while NANS sought an audience with the university management.
Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, the UNILAG PRO, confirmed that the institution granted some fee cuts.
Obligatory fees
- Utility charges for all students were reduced to ₦15,000 from ₦20,000.
- The obligatory fees for new undergraduate students were reviewed from ₦126,325 to ₦116,325 for courses without Lab/Studio and ₦176,325 to ₦166,325:00 for Courses with Lab/Studio.
- The obligatory fees for returning undergraduate students were reviewed from ₦100,750 to ₦80,750 for courses without Lab/Studio; ₦140,250 to ₦120,250 for courses with Lab/Studio; and from ₦190,250 to ₦170,250 for medical/pharmacy students and students in health professions.
- The convocation fee to be paid by all final-year students was reduced to ₦27,000 from ₦30,000.
Hostel fees
- For undergraduate hostels in Akoka and Yaba campuses, the fees were reduced to ₦43, 000 from ₦90,000.
- For hostels in the Idi-Araba campus, the fees were reduced to N65,000 from ₦120,000.
- The fees for Sodeinde Hall were reduced to N135,000 from ₦250,000.
Among the resolutions that the meeting with the university management birthed is the decision to commence the reinstatement of UNILAG’s student union government, which was dissolved in 2016.