The House of Representatives has called upon the Federal Government to significantly step up financial allocations to public tertiary institutions while urging the management of these schools to immediately halt proposed increases in tuition fees.

This resolution followed the consideration and adoption of a motion brought forward during the plenary session by Ifeoluwa Ehindero, the federal lawmaker representing Akoko-South West/Akoko-South East Federal Constituency of Ondo State and Chairman of the House Committee on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The legislative motion, titled “Need to halt the recent increase in school fees by public tertiary institutions and its impact on Nigerian Education Loan Fund,” highlighted deep concerns over how sudden and steep tuition hikes across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education—in some instances exceeding 100 percent—are directly threatening the accessibility of higher education. Lawmakers noted that these exorbitant adjustments were implemented without sufficient stakeholder consultation or regard for the severe economic pressures currently facing average Nigerian households.

Furthermore, the House warned that unmitigated fee increases could severely undermine the core objectives of the NELFUND scheme, which was established precisely to ease financial burdens and provide loans for eligible students. Lawmakers cautioned that unchecked inflation in institutional charges risks crowding out students from less privileged backgrounds, triggering avoidable student dropouts, and sparking potential campus unrest.

Consequently, the parliament mandated relevant legislative committees to investigate the justifications behind the recent fee increments while calling on the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to engage institution managements in restructuring fees to align with realistic economic conditions.