The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to suspend fee increases in public tertiary institutions nationwide, warning that rising education costs could undermine access to higher education and weaken the impact of the student loan scheme.
The resolution was adopted during Tuesday’s plenary after lawmakers considered a motion sponsored by Ifeoluwa Ehindero, a member of the All Progressives Congress representing Ondo State.
The call comes amid recent increases in fees by several public tertiary institutions, which have triggered student protests and raised concerns about the affordability of higher education for Nigerian families.
Moving the motion, Ehindero warned that the rising cost of tertiary education could undermine the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), established by the Federal Government to provide eligible students with interest-free loans.
He argued that sudden and arbitrary fee increases could disrupt the loan scheme’s underlying cost structure and limit its ability to achieve its objective of expanding access to higher education.
The lawmaker also cited Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the government’s responsibility to promote equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.
According to him, some institutions increased their fees without adequate consultation or sufficient consideration of the economic challenges facing Nigerian households.
He warned that continued increases could deepen inequality in access to education financing, leaving students from low-income families particularly vulnerable.
“If not immediately addressed, it may lead to increased student dropouts, campus unrest, and overall loss of public confidence in government’s commitment to affordable education,” he said.
The motion was unanimously adopted through a voice vote presided over by Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas.
Following the adoption, the lawmakers urged the Federal Government to consider increasing financial allocations to public tertiary institutions to reduce their reliance on internally generated revenue from student charges.
The House also mandated its committees on University Education, Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, and Federal Colleges of Education to investigate the scale and justification for recent fee increases across public tertiary institutions.
The committees are expected to examine the reasons behind the increases as lawmakers seek measures to address rising education costs and protect students’ access to tertiary education.
