A place at a federal university in Nigeria was once seen as the golden ticket for children from struggling families. Affordable, reliable, and backed by government subsidy, it was the dream alternative to costly private campuses.
But at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), that dream has soured. A new directive ordering all newly admitted students to pay a compulsory ₦100,000 acceptance and clearance fee—within just six days—has triggered outrage among students and parents.
“This is a crushing blow,” said a Social Sciences student who had just received an admission offer. “We thought federal schools were for the poor. Now the fee alone is higher than what some private universities ask.”
For families already stretched thin by soaring food and transport costs, the demand feels impossible. A mother from Osogbo, whose daughter was offered admission, accused the system of abandoning its duty: “Federal institutions used to be the hope of the poor. Today that hope is gone.”
The uproar captures a wider tension in Nigeria’s education sector. Public universities, once a leveller, are increasingly accused of commercialisation. With a national minimum wage of ₦70,000, often unpaid on time, analysts warn that such fees risk pushing thousands out of school.
As social media fills with angry posts and parents talk of petitioning the Ministry of Education, FUOYE has yet to respond. For the new students caught in the middle, admission is bittersweet: a door to opportunity that may slam shut if ₦100,000 cannot be raised in days.
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