STUDENTS at the College of Nursing Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, on Tuesday, March 10, staged a peaceful protest over a sharp increase in tuition fees.
Videos circulating on social media showed how the students marched through parts of the town, chanting and carrying placards while calling on the school management to reverse the increment.
“Save our education. Education is not oppression,” some of the inscriptions on their placards read, while others had “No to fraud and extortion of students.”
The students alleged in one of the placards that the school fee was increased from about ₦90,000 to ₦580,000, placing a heavy burden on them and their families.
Internal memo confirms fee increment
The protest followed an internal memo issued by the management announcing the hike in school fees across all levels of the College of Nursing Sciences.
The hike, reported by Daily Sun on January 23, 2026, showed that the adjustment was part of efforts to upgrade the institution.
“The hospital management and the Board of College of Nursing, in an ongoing effort towards upgrading the institution to a reputable monotechnic, has approved an upward review of students’ school fees across all levels in the college,” the memo, signed by the Chairman of the Board of the college, O. I. Ezejiofor, read.
It added that the new fee structure would take effect immediately for the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to Daily Sun, previously, a 100-level student’s total fees amounted to N250,000, which included a N100,000 tuition fee, combined maintenance and caution fees of N30,000, a N10,000 library fee, and N60,000 for medical exams and services. Other costs under the old structure included an examination fee of N20,000, and a portal fee of N10,000, as well as a N10,000 hostel maintenance fee.
However, under the new “annual regular fee” structure, the total has risen to N580,000.
The new breakdown consists of a N250,000 tuition fee, a N50,000 maintenance/caution fee, and a N50,000 library fee. Examination fees have tripled to N60,000, while the portal fee has doubled to N20,000.
Additionally, the school adjusted charges including a N30,000 medical fee, a N30,000 transport fee, a N50,000 accreditation fee, and N40,000 accommodation maintenance fee.
However, students argued that the revised fees are unaffordable and come amid existing financial pressures.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M