UNIMED Denies Tuition Hike Says Only new Students’ Fees Were Adjusted

The University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) in Ondo State has dismissed reports that it raised tuition fees by 149 percent, insisting that only new students’ fees were reviewed while those of returning students remain unchanged.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe made the clarification at a press conference, describing the claims as false and aimed at tarnishing the university’s image. She said some courses still have tuition as low as ₦150,000 and that the review was a modest adjustment to sustain academic quality amid economic challenges.

Adejuyigbe said UNIMED’s fees remain among the most affordable in the country, noting that they are still heavily subsidised by the Ondo State government. She added that the institution has also partnered with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to help indigent students access financial support.

She disclosed that 87 students were verified last year for inclusion in the loan scheme and that the school is working with NELFUND again this year to ensure more eligible students benefit. She explained that claims of a recent hike stemmed from misinformation and not from any new decision by the university.

The Vice-Chancellor also addressed concerns over the transfer of UNIMED’s Akure Teaching Hospital complex to the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). She assured that the development would not disrupt UNIMED’s academic activities, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding allows UNIMED students to continue using the facilities and lecturers there.

Adejuyigbe said the collaboration would help FUTA start its medical programmes while UNIMED focuses on strengthening its main teaching hospital in Ondo. She described the partnership as part of the university’s broader effort to build stronger alliances that will enhance medical education and research.

She reaffirmed that UNIMED is committed to transparency, collaboration, and quality training, stressing that the university’s goal is to produce skilled health professionals capable of meeting both local and global standards.