Crisis Looms as NELFUND Warns of 500% Tuition Hikes – Student Loans, Universities on Collision Course

Crisis Looms as NELFUND Warns of 500% Tuition Hikes – Student Loans, Universities on Collision Course

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has expressed deep concern over the alarming surge in tuition fees across the country’s higher institutions, warning that the trend could destabilise its student loan initiative and push thousands of students into crushing debt.

According to the agency, recent reviews by universities and polytechnics show tuition increases ranging from 20% to more than 500%, with several schools now charging nearly ₦1 million per session for certain programmes such as Medicine and Law.

Institutions under scrutiny include LAUTECH, Edo State University, Ekiti State University, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, and Ebonyi State University, among others — all of which have significantly revised their fee structures upward in recent months.

Education analysts warn that the development could make tertiary education an exclusive privilege for the wealthy, as some medical students may graduate with debts exceeding ₦50 million if the trend continues unchecked.

In reaction, NELFUND disclosed that it is considering suspending student loan disbursements to schools that impose excessive charges, while also exploring a national tuition cap to curb exploitation and maintain equity within the education system.

Parents and student unions, including the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), have condemned the tuition surge as “anti-poor and insensitive,” calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene, review school funding structures, and ensure education remains within reach for all Nigerians.

The controversy comes at a time when NELFUND’s loan programme is still in its early stages, raising fears that the burden of repayment could cripple indigent students and defeat the very purpose of the scheme.