Niger assembly summons IBBU management over fee hike

The Niger State House of Assembly has summoned the management of Ibrahim Babangida University Lapai (IBBUL) over a 100% increase in tuition.

The assembly’s speaker, Abdullahi Bawa, directed the Senate and Governing Council of the university to appear before the House Committee on Education to explain why the school increased tuition fees.

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This followed a motion during plenary yesterday by a member representing Bida II Constituency, Mohammed Haruna, who noted that the fee hike was coming at a wrong time when families were still battling with the economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lawmaker said if the fee hike was not reversed, most students would drop out of school, and that the situation could lead to an increase in crime.

Meanwhile, there has been outrage over the school fee increment among parents, students and other stakeholders.

The university, in a circular on Tuesday signed by its registrar, Mohammed Abdullahi, said the school’s governing council during its 50th regular meetings, approved upward review of school fees effective from the 2020/2021 academic session.

The fee for returning students, who are indigenes, was increased from N27,500 to N62, 927 and new students would pay N129,675.

The returning students, who are non-indigenes, would now pay N117,325 while the new students from outside the state would pay N201,210.