Baze University, Abuja, owned by the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Yusuf Baba Datti-Ahmed, has increased student fees, citing a ‘astronomical rise’ in the cost of products and services.
The changes include a 100% increase in hostel fees, a 35% increase in tuition and the Students’ Industrial Working Experience Scheme (SIWES), and a 25% increase in laundry expenses.
Kehinde Adekeye, the university’s Deputy Registrar and Acting Dean of Students, informed students of the rise in an internal memo, which this publication obtained.
According to Mr Adekeye, the new increment will take effect in May.
“I am directed to inform you that after careful consideration and assessment of various factors such as the astronomical rise in the cost of goods and services, provision of competitive salaries and benefits, compliance efforts with government regulations and accreditation standards, and general economic downturns, the university management has decided to implement the following fees adjustments as approved by the University Governing Council, effective May 2024,” part of Mr Adekeye’s memo to students reads.
Before this increase, students paid between N800,000 and N1.2 million for hostels fees per session, according to a payment schedule obtained.
This has now been increased by 100%, according to the memo. Prior to the new increase, tuition was around N3 million every academic session, while medical students paid up to N5 million from the second to the fourth year.
In the fifth year, medical students pay N9 million per academic session under the prior payment structure.
The tuition has now been increased by 35%, according to the new memo.