Education

Nigerian Universities And Resolution Abolishing Acceptance Fees

Published

2 years ago

09/10/2023

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

Recently, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State approved a 25 per cent reduction in acceptance fees payable in the four state-owned universities as part of palliatives for students. The governor’s approval was contained in a statement issued by Festus Ahon, his chief press secretary, on Wednesday, in Asaba.

According to the statement, the reduction in the acceptance fee was in line with measures taken by the Delta State government to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on citizens. Ahon further said that the 25 per cent reduction was applicable to new students at the state-owned Delta State University, Abraka; Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro; University of Delta, Agbor, and Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba.

Essentially, the Governor’s action is understandable and appreciated, particularly when one remembers that the governor had earlier approved the payment of N10,000 to workers for three months and payment of N5.522bn to 50,196 workers as promotion arrears and palliatives to civil servants across the state, this piece however, holds the opinion that the issue that has to do with demand for acceptance by leaderships of tertiary institutions in the country, under any guise ought not arise in the first instance.

The reason for the above assertion is predicated on the fact that there exists a resolution by the Federal House Of Representatives abolishing the demand of Acceptance Fees by tertiary institutions of higher learning in the country, not even in Delta state-owned universities or any federally-owned university in Nigeria. In fact, any public officeholder who breaks the law is a threat to those very structures of the government he pledged to protect.

Adding context to the discourse, it is factually supported that in November 2019, Nigeria’s House of Representatives, following public outcry against the excruciating acceptance fee charged by the nation’s institutions of higher learning moved a motion through Honourable Emeka Chinedu, PDP-Imo (Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency), abolishing the payment of such fees in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Leading the debate, Mr Chinedu, according to the reports observed that one of the factors contributing to poor access to tertiary education is the “predatory admission policies being enforced by tertiary institutions, particularly the requirement for payment of non-refundable acceptance fees as a condition precedent for admission”.

He said in part; “it should bother the lawmakers that Imo State University charges N70,000 as acceptance fee. “Other institutions like the University of Ibadan charge 35,000; University of Lagos, 20,000; Ahmadu Bello University, 30,000; Lagos State University, N20,000; University of Uyo, 25,000, and University of Benin hovers between N60, 000.00 to N75, 000.00, depending on the department and faculty”.

In the end, the plenary presided over by the Former Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, (present Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu) described acceptance fees as exploitative and called on the Federal Government, to immediately abolish the payment of such fees in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Without a doubt, when parents and their wards heard of this resolution, they were happy.

But reacting to the development via a piece, I described the resolution as a two-edged sword. First, it portrayed the House as both a responsive and responsible body capped with the listening capacity to the yearning of the poor Nigerians. The piece in question also argued that the House of Representatives resolution shows that the survival of freedom depends upon the rule of law.

But on second thought, I submitted that the validity of the resolution will largely depend on how the university authorities in the country respect, interpret and enforce such promulgation, particularly, as demand for acceptance fees in the institutions of higher learning in Nigeria has become a ‘culture’ that will be too difficult to uproot.

Today, such fear can no longer be described as unfounded.

The early warning that led to my expression of fear was nourished by perennial underfunding of the nation’s education sector and exacerbated by reluctant respect University leaderships in the country have paid to similar directives in the past.

Take, as an illustration, Idowu Olayinka, vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan,(as he then was), while informing the media of his institution’s readiness to comply with the directive on acceptance fee, explained that the amount accruing to the University of Ibadan, for instance, in a year is not enough to fund the university in a month. “Therefore, the school has to look for alternative means to source for funds”.

“Someone has to take up the bill,” he said. “We have to make up our mind on what we really want. You can’t even run a creche without funds. In a year, we spend at least N200 million on our clinic contractors. Add this to the electricity bill and diesel, then you’re talking of over N800 million. “What the university is getting for overhead is less than N100 million. So where do you think the remaining N700 million will come from? Unless you want to close down the whole university,” he added.

For me, why all Nigerians of goodwill should worry about these blanket inability by tertiary schools in Nigeria to comply with the House’s directive on acceptance fee is that instead of schools acting in compliance, many contrary to expectation and to the surprise of stakeholders/observers retained the prevailing fees while the rest in absolute disobedience and challenge to the new order had an upward review of their acceptance fees.

Also deeply troubling is the awareness that school authorities demanding acceptance fees from new students have not been able to explain what the payment signifies or provide answers as to why students must pay acceptance fee for an admission they voluntarily expressed interest and paid examination fees, took time to study in order to be admitted.

Expressly, it will be convenient for many to argue that the crushing weight arising from education funding in Nigeria and globally has become too heavy for only the government to shoulder, and therefore, our collective responsibility to ensure that our schools work and our children are properly educated at the right time in ways that will necessitate payments such as acceptance fees.

This fact notwithstanding, it does not in any way justify the demand for acceptance fees.

To therefore curb this illicit collection, Nigerian universities and other institutions of higher learning in the country as well as the Federal and state governments must in the first instance consider education as the bedrock of development; that with sound educational institutions, a country is as good as made -as the institutions will turn out all rounded manpower to continue with the development of the society driven by well thought out ideas, policies, programmes, and projects.

We must also come to the collective recognition that across the world, children enjoy the right to education as enshrined by a number of international conventions, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which recognizes a compulsory primary education for all, an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all, as well as the progressive introduction of free higher education/obligation to develop equitable access to higher education.

Finally, the government and of course universities in the country must not use it to deny our youths the opportunity to be educated. If we do, chances are that most of them will run to the streets. And as we know, the streets are known for breeding all sorts of criminals and other social misfits who constitute the real threat such as armed robbers, thugs, drug abusers, drunkards, prostitutes and all other social ills that give a bad name to society.

Jerome-Mario Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Policy) at Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via [email protected]/08032725374.

Related Topics:abolish Acceptance Fees Acceptance Fees

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Education

45 Student-Led Startups Win N2.2bn from FG Ventures Initiative

Published

6 days ago

31/03/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Forty-five student-led ventures emerged as beneficiaries of a total pool of N2.2 billion in grants at the 2026 Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) Finalist Bootcamp.

The programme of the federal government marks a significant boost to youth innovation under its entrepreneurship drive, announced earlier this year.

At the bootcamp’s closing ceremony and awards presentation held at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Ikoyi, Lagos, the winners emerged after a rigorous selection process involving 65 finalists and assessment by a 12-member expert panel.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, said the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to transforming tertiary institutions into centres of innovation, entrepreneurship and practical problem-solving.

He described the S-VCG programme as a key pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at enabling students to convert ideas into viable businesses.

Mr Alausa noted that each beneficiary can access up to N50 million in equity-free funding, alongside mentorship, incubation support and digital tools.

He added that the programme attracted more than 30,000 applications from 404 tertiary institutions nationwide, reflecting the growing culture of innovation among Nigerian youth.

Also speaking, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, commended participants for leveraging technology to develop solutions to real-world challenges.

He urged them to build scalable, tech-driven ventures capable of contributing to national development.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Education, Mrs Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, praised the finalists’ resilience and creativity, noting that initiatives like S-VCG are critical to nurturing problem-solving skills and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Mr Muntari Dandutse, called for sustained investment in youth innovation to strengthen Nigeria’s knowledge-based economy.

On his part, the National Project Coordinator of the Special Programmes Operations and Implementation Unit, Mr Adebayo Onigbanjo, outlined the structure and long-term objectives of the programme, stating that it is designed to equip students with the resources and confidence needed to build sustainable ventures.

Education

UniJos Suspends Exams Over Deadly Jos Attack

Published

1 week ago

30/03/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The University of Jos has suspended all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday following growing tension in Jos, after a deadly attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The management of the institution also advised students and staff to remain indoors and stay vigilant.

According to reports, the attackers, who rode on motorcycles, stormed the community at about 7:30 pm while residents were going about their normal activities, firing indiscriminately and causing panic.

Many people were killed, while several others sustained injuries in the attack.

“The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions,” a source told Channels Television.

The broadcaster also reported that in the aftermath of the attack, angry youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, raising fears of escalating tension.

UniJos, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Madugu, said the incident had heightened tension, necessitating the decision.

“In view of the late evening fatal attacks by unknown gunmen on residents of Angwan Rukuba (an area that hosts many staff and students of the University), and the consequential tensions it has generated in and around the area and environs.

“The Vice Chancellor has directed that all examinations scheduled to hold on Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, are postponed, and will be rescheduled accordingly. That members of the University community be advised to be very vigilant and extra careful with their movements (On and off Campus) with IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

“For emphasis, members are strongly advised to AVOID COMING OUT VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, and should REPORT IMMEDIATELY any sign or shadow of breach of the public peace to the University Security Division on 08035895323.

“University Management is actively liaising with the relevant Security agencies and monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the lives of members of the University community. Further relevant updates will be communicated in due course,” the deputy registrar added.

Education

8 Best Editing and Proofreading Services in 2026 for Academic Researchers

Published

1 week ago

27/03/2026

Dipo Olowookere

The top editing services for academic researchers in 2026 include Editage, Wiley Editing Services, Taylor & Francis Editing Services, Sage Author Services, and Scribbr. In this article, we’ll look at the key features of each of these, and some others, to help you choose the best proofreading service for your own research paper. We’ll also share the 4 key aspects you must consider when choosing a proofreading service.

Top 8 Editing & Proofreading Services for Academic Researchers

1. Editage

With over 23 years of experience in academic publishing, Editage has edited over 2 million research papers and is trusted by 40+ publishers, 500+ universities, and 1000+ research societies. Editage employs over 3,000 subject matter experts as editors. It offers comprehensive publication support, including services such as journal selection, statistical review, and figure preparation. Most service packages include free journal formatting. Editage also provides a specialized service designed to help prevent the desk rejection of your paper.

2. Wiley Editing Services

Wiley Editing Services has edited over 25,000 manuscripts in the past 3 years, with an acceptance rate of 62% (the acceptance rate of Wiley journals in general is around 28%). Wiley Editing Services offers authors slab-based pricing with clear turnaround times. Another feature of their editing service is free word count reduction by 10-20% depending on service package. It has a specialized academic translation team and offers authors design support in creating graphical abstracts and infographics.

3. Taylor & Francis Editing Services

Designed to support Taylor & Francis authors, Taylor & Francis Editing Services has a no-questions-asked quality guarantee and commits to re-working your manuscript until you are satisfied. Clients can choose from three levels of English language editing, and the company also offers you a free language scorer tool to help you choose the right level of editing for your manuscript. After your paper is accepted for publication, you can also avail of services to help you create lay summaries, video abstracts, etc. to promote it. Taylor & Francis also offers a range of live webinars for researchers to acquire new skills.

4. Sage Author Services

Realizing that 76% of authors find writing a paper for publication most difficult of all the research stages, Sage Author Services offers clients a range of editing services with easy tools to compare them and select the one suited for your paper. There is also a combination translation + editing service geared towards ESL authors, and a plagiarism check support service. You can get unlimited Q&A with your editor after your paper is edited. Their website also has an easy-to-use calculator for you to choose pricing and delivery speed.

5. Cambridge University Press Author Services

Cambridge University Press, a part of Cambridge University, has a long-standing commitment to advancing research and human knowledge. Their author services offers 24/7 support and a certificate guaranteeing the quality of English in the edited manuscript. Besides offering three levels of editing service, Cambridge University Press also has translation support available for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. There is a separate manuscript formatting service and a specialized “video shorts” service to make your published paper easy to share on social media.

6. Scribbr

Scribbr, a trusted brand in edtech, has a network of over 700 editors and writing coaches for students. All editors have passed through an in-house training program called Scribbr Academy. Scribbr offers clients access to free AI-powered tools and an extensive Knowledge Base for university students (especially undergraduates). Scribber also has a rapid turnaround time of just 5 minutes for AI-powered proofreading. The company offers specialized proofreading services for capstone projects and essays.

7. Scribendi

Established in 1997, Scribendi has processed over 800,000 manuscripts and has a team of over 400 native English-speaking freelance editors. The company is highly rated on Google Reviews and offers specialized services for ESL students, including dissertation proofreading with a 10% student discount. Another specialty of Scribbr is field-aware editing for humanities and social sciences researchers.

8. PaperTrue

PaperTrue works with students, authors, and businesses around the world to create error-free documents. New customers get a free 300-word sample. The company follows a rigorous 3-step checking process for every assignment. PaperTrue is rated 4.6 on Reviews.io and offers specialized editing services for college assignments, admissions essays, and personal statements. The company also has a large bouquet of solutions for book authors: typesetting, cover page design, etc.

How to Choose a Proofreading Service for Your Research Paper

Here are 4 things that you need to consider when you are choosing a proofreading service:

Quality:

Everyone will claim to be the best. How can you tell which proofreading services are really good? Look for services that have many subject matter experts, those backed by scholarly publishers, and those that transparently disclose whether their services are powered by AI or not.

Turnaround time:

A rapid-fire editing service isn’t always better. You need to budget time even after your paper is edited to check the editor’s changes and respond to any queries. Look for a service provider with a reasonable turnaround time, and one that is flexible with turnaround time if you have budget constraints.

Price:

Instead of thinking that cheap equals good, look for proofreading services that have transparent pricing that is easy to follow. Check what is included in your service package, especially re-editing support and manuscript formatting.

Additional support:

Look for a provider who can assist you at every stage of your publication journey and even with post-publication promotion. Such providers will care more deeply about your article and your publication success. Also, such providers will likely have editors who are experienced in academic research and who understand the challenges authors face during the publication process.