UNILAG Says No Fee Hike Blames Changes On New NELFund Payment System

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has denied increasing tuition or other charges for undergraduate students, clarifying that recent changes in student fees were caused by a directive from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund).

The clarification came after students noticed what appeared to be higher fees on their payment portals and raised concerns about another round of fee adjustments.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the university’s Head of Communication Unit, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, UNILAG explained that the figures now showing on the students’ portals were not new charges but a consolidation of various approved payments that were previously made at the faculty and departmental levels.

According to the university, NELFund directed all tertiary institutions to integrate all legitimate dues into one central payment system. This is meant to ensure transparency and enable students applying for educational loans to access funding that fully covers their verified school expenses.

UNILAG said the move would also prevent multiple or unofficial collections by departments and faculties, allowing all payments to be made directly through the students’ portals.

A review of the updated portal shows that while tuition fees remain unchanged, some categories such as departmental and faculty dues, previously pegged at about ₦2,000, are now reflected as part of a ₦15,000 consolidated charge. Other items listed include entrepreneurship training, portal maintenance, general studies, student insurance, support services, and professional fees.

The university, however, maintained that these were not new or increased charges but existing payments that had simply been moved into the central system for easier tracking and access to NELFund support.

UNILAG further noted that the total payable amount may vary depending on each student’s faculty or programme requirements, stressing that this variation does not mean a fresh fee hike.

The institution reaffirmed its commitment to fairness and transparency in managing student payments, adding that the new structure was designed to make the process more organised and student-friendly.