NELFUND Raises Alarm Over Soaring Tuition Fees in Tertiary Institutions

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has expressed alarm over massive tuition fee hikes by several universities and polytechnics—some exceeding **500 per cent**—warning that the increases could undermine the student loan scheme.

Institutions flagged include the University of Ilesha, Ekiti State University, University of Medical Sciences (Ondo), Edo State University, LAUTECH, and David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, among others. Courses like Medicine, Nursing, and Law were most affected, with tuition now running into millions of naira.

NELFUND said the hikes are straining its operations and may lead to a suspension of loans to defaulting institutions. The Fund has disbursed ₦107.6 billionto over 581,000 students nationwide as of September 2025.

Parents, students, and education rights groups condemned the fee increases, describing them as exploitative and contrary to the goal of making education accessible. The **Education Rights Campaign (ERC)** called the loan scheme a “debt trap,” while **NANS** urged the government to sanction institutions that raised fees.

University officials defended the hikes, citing economic pressures and rising operational costs. The **Federal Ministry of Education**, however, said its powers are limited since education falls under the **concurrent legislative list**.

Observers warn that without tighter regulation, continued fee hikes could worsen inequality and push more students out of school despite the student loan programme.