Former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has proposed that students in Nigeria’s public universities could pay about ₦1 million in annual school fees as part of measures to improve the institutions’ financial independence.
Olatunji-Bello said the proposal was informed by the persistent funding challenges confronting public universities, including inadequate resources for infrastructure, facilities and other requirements needed to provide quality education.
She argued that relying heavily on government funding has continued to place pressure on universities and limit their ability to adequately meet their academic and infrastructural needs.
The former LASU vice-chancellor’s position comes amid longstanding concerns over the cost of running public universities and the ability of government subventions to meet the growing demands of the tertiary education system.
The issue of university funding has also featured prominently in discussions over rising institutional charges across the country, with university administrators arguing that the cost of providing quality education has increased significantly.
Olatunji-Bello has previously advocated alternative funding mechanisms for universities. In 2016, while serving as Director of the Directorate of Advancement at LASU, she said government funding and school fees alone could not provide all the resources required for the university, leading the institution to explore donations, endowment and other fundraising initiatives.
During her tenure as LASU vice-chancellor, she also maintained that the institution was among the less expensive universities in the country and, in January 2025, told student leaders that the university had no immediate plan to increase tuition fees while encouraging students to pay their fees promptly.
Her latest proposal therefore centres on a broader question of how public universities can secure sustainable funding without compromising academic standards or overburdening students and their families.
A ₦1 million annual fee would represent a significant increase for many students compared with the charges historically associated with public universities. It would also raise questions about affordability, access to tertiary education and the need for effective financial support for students from low-income households.
