Education
UNIBEN’s Inordinate Circle of Fees and Harvests of Protest
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
Separate from the awareness that the euphoria which heralded the epoch appointments of Professor Lillian Imuetinyan Salami, a home economist/nutritionist and former Dean of the Faculty of Education, as the second female vice-chancellor after Grace Alele Williams, and the 10th substantive vice-chancellor of the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, has faded and jeer overtaken the cheers of expectation while fears have displaced reason, resulting in an entirely separate set of consequences, irrational hatred and division, I must say that the recent news report that the students of UNIBEN, September 14, 2021, blocked the Lagos-Benin highway in protest over imposition of, but now reversed N20,000 late registration charges by the school management, did not come to be as a surprise.
Rather, like the generality of Nigerians who earlier believed that the appointment of a new VC, a few years ago will usher in fresh breathe too and save the students and their parents from financial emasculation, the recent protest convinced all that nothing has changed in the university’s love for visiting their students with unjust laws/policies.
As we know, a just law is ‘a man-made code that squares with moral laws or the laws and uplifts human personalities, while an unjust law on the other hand is a code that is out of harmony with moral laws.’
This assertion is predicated on two separate but similar realities. First was a similar protest by students of the school dated Friday, November 1, 2019, to register their grievances over the poor state of infrastructures and incessant fees charged by the school authorities.
The second reason enjoys a link with the first (the 2019 protest) but stemmed from the content of my earlier intervention/ reaction to the appointment of Professor Lillian Imuetinyan Salami as the school’s new VC; that was in 2019.
Aside from congratulating the new VC, the piece, which had as title; Tasks ahead of Professor Salami, the new VC of UNIBEN, highlighted how in recent time the institution has defined leaning too narrowly in a manner devoid of process and outcome fairness; got preoccupied with revenue generation without consideration to the students comfort or wellbeing; identify errors among students without beaming searchlight on internal occurrences.
It concluded by reminding the new VC that if she does nothing about this, it simply means our youths, and the nation by extension is faced with a bleak future.
Conversely, if she is able to correct the above challenges; it will be her most powerful accomplishment for earning new respect and emulation.
Presently, the impulse in the school particularly the recent protest and student’s description of the decision of the university management as harsh, as it did not take into consideration “the unfavourable economic situation in the country, explains that the institution is still characterized as a neck-deep in an inordinate circle of fees and should be ready to harvest from students baskets of protest.
More than anything else, the present happening stands as emblematic prove that the school management is still unmindful of the fact that ‘if learning must persist, teachers must also look inward, reflect critically on their own behaviour, and identify the ways they often advertently or inadvertently contribute to the institution’s problems and then change how they act, it more than anything else points to the fact that nothing has changed.
Admittedly, Nigerians and of course the global community particularly development professionals do not think that what the federal government is doing when it comes to perennial underfunding of public universities is the best way to encourage education in the country as such failures/failings and shortfalls daily impedes lecturers from carrying out scholarly researches, truncates academic calendar with strike actions, lace Nigerian universities with dilapidated and overstretched learning facilities with the universities producing graduates devoid of linkage with the manpower demand by the nation’s industrial sector. This partly explains the dilemma of public universities administrators.
But when one juxtaposes the above fact with the ongoing challenge particularly, the now reversed late registration charges; one will discover that if what happens in other universities is a challenge, that of UNIBEN is a crisis.
To support this claim, let’s listen to the UNIBEN VC as she talked about the reversal of the N20,000 late registration charges; “It is important to mention that this reversal in position will not break the University of Benin. I fundamentally believe that there are very few decisions that are irreversible and this is definitely not one of them. At this time, the N20,000 late fee is reversed and it is a closed case.
“UNIBEN is resilient and we will continue to move forward with a strong conviction to ensure that the university reaches its full potential as a premier academic institution,” she added.
The above comment naturally elicits the following posers; if the school leadership knows that reversing such a position will not break the University of Benin, why did they come up with it in the first instance? If they (as they claim) are aware that UNIBEN is resilient and will continue to move forward with a strong conviction to ensure that the university reaches its full potential as a premier academic institution, why are they overburdening students with a circle of fees?
Is the underfunding of tertiary institutions in Nigeria by the federal government UNIBEN-specific? If not, why are they in the habit of transferring such aggression to innocent students and their parents?
As the students noted, why is the school management not bringing into consideration “the unfavourable economic situation in the country before slamming N20,000 late registration charges on the students? Why can’t they (management) look for more civil/creative ways of generating income for the school without overburdening the students and their parents?
While answer(s) to the above is awaited from UNIBEN leadership, another argument by the VC that cannot hold water when faced with embarrassing fact is her statement that; “Early registration is critical for effective operations of the university; it provides insight into the students’ volume/demand and allows for smarter planning to ensure that we have enough staff, courses and funding supporting our students accordingly. It is important to note that in the past, other non-financial interventions in attempts to urge early registration have failed.”
If that is the true position, it may again necessitate the question as to the logic/reason behind outrageous and out of order acceptance fees charged by the UNIBEN management?
Take as another illustration, presently, new students pay about N63,000.00 for Education, Management and Engineering faculties, while Medical students are made to cough out about N75,000 as acceptance fees.
Comparatively, while UNIBEN charges the above, other federal universities such as; the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Federal University of Petroleum and Resources (FUPRA), Warri, Delta State and the Federal University of Agriculture (FUUNAB), Abeokuta, Ogun State, receive amounts that are far low. These are verifiable facts.
By this analysis, the UNIBEN’s clumsy and discomforting attitude to the fresh students is led bare. Against this backdrop, the question that, begs for an answer(s) is; how did UNIBEN arrive at the above fees in the first instance?
I hold the opinion that the university needs a new vision and students-friendly reforms and policies that will re-engineer quality and affordable education.
Jerome-Mario Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via je*********@***oo.com/08032725374.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Live-learning and creator-economy platform, Hallos, as part of its expansion drive, has unveiled plans to equip millions of youths and women with digital skills and monetisation opportunities through the Learning247 Hallos Summit, aimed at integrating Nigeria’s South-East into the rapidly expanding global creator economy.
At a sensitisation and stakeholder engagement forum in Enugu, the organisation also called for stronger strategic partnerships with government agencies, educational institutions, development organisations, media houses and private-sector stakeholders to advance the creator economy as a credible engine for mass employment, youth prosperity and inclusive economic growth.
The chief executive of Hallos, Mr Alexander Oseji Uzoma, renewed the call for increased investment in internet penetration, reliable power supply, digital infrastructure, creative studios and youth-focused innovation hubs across Nigeria, especially the South-East.
Describing the creator economy as one of the most accessible and scalable employment frontiers globally, he noted that with basic tools such as a smartphone, internet access and creative skills, young people can build audiences, monetise knowledge and generate sustainable income without heavy capital investment or long career pathways.
According to Mr Uzoma, the creator economy offers low-barrier entry into diverse professions, including content creation, social media influencing, live tutoring and digital coaching, video production, podcasting, graphic design, music and performance arts, digital marketing, merchandise design, e-commerce and community management. These activities support a broader value chain spanning production, distribution, technology and management.
The Hallos co-founder also explained that global projections place the creator economy in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with millions of creators worldwide earning sustainable incomes, stressing that Hallos is focused on localising these opportunities to ensure African youths can participate meaningfully and compete globally.
He further noted that Hallos operates a live-learning and creator-focused platform that integrates education, gamified quizzes, merchandising and voluntary fan donations into a single ecosystem. Through the platform, creators can host live learning sessions and masterclasses, earn from quizzes and challenges, sell branded merchandise, receive voluntary donations, build communities around their expertise and organise monetisable podcasts.
Mr Uzoma said the creator economy, driven by social media platforms, streaming services, digital commerce and content monetisation tools, has evolved into a major global industry capable of generating wealth, creating jobs and expanding export earnings.
He stressed that social media should no longer be viewed as a recreational space but as a viable business environment for wealth creation.
“The focus should not just be on content creation alone but on building businesses around content. It is about value creation and structured digital entrepreneurship,” he said.
He disclosed that Hallos intends to reach about 10 million youths nationwide, with over 5,000 already engaged across its programmes, while placing strong emphasis on bridging the gender gap by empowering women and girls through targeted digital training, mentorship and access to monetisation platforms.
As the digital economy continues to expand, Hallos said the creator economy stands out as a practical and scalable solution to youth unemployment, offering low entry barriers and global earning potential.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to bridging the gap between talent and income, enabling young Africans to earn well above minimum wage through creativity, knowledge and structured participation in the global digital economy.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Post-graduate students of Bayero University Kano (BUK) will benefit from a scholarship worth about N1.5 billion from the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF).
The businessman put down the funds to support eligible MBA, entrepreneurship, and management postgraduate students of the institution under an initiative known as MHF Dangote Graduate Business Scholarship.
At a ceremony on Tuesday, the foundation and the school signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the auditorium of the Dangote Business School, Kano.
The deal is to provide N300 million annually over five years as scholarship awards to the beneficiaries, who will receive N150,000 each per session, beginning with the 2024/25 academic session. This is equivalent to 50 per cent of the current N300,000 fee paid by the post-graduate students. There are 1,225 students in the Business School (696 fresh and 529 returning students).
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Khalid Bababubu, who is into manufacturing and specialises in MBA, Finance and Investment, thanked the organisation for the gesture.
“We are happy to be beneficiaries of this initiative. Education is the bedrock of national development, and we will not take this scholarship for granted,” he said.
A representative of ADF, Ms Mariya Aliko Dangote, said, “Our vision at the Foundation is to build human capital that translates into economic opportunity.
“Strengthening business and entrepreneurship education is critical to turning knowledge into enterprise, innovation, and jobs. This scholarship deepens our commitment to Dangote Business School by investing directly in the next generation of business leaders and change-makers.”
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Prof. Haruna Musa, said, “This support comes at a critical time for many families. Beyond financial relief, it strengthens the Business School’s role as a centre for developing entrepreneurial and management talent, particularly for women who are increasingly taking leadership roles in enterprise.”
It was explained that newly admitted students will receive automatic tuition reductions during registration, and returning students who have already paid in full will receive rebates. The N300 million allocation is structured to cover all eligible postgraduate students based on current enrolment capacity.
Any unutilised balance in the first year will be retained within the Dangote Business School development envelope to strengthen learning infrastructure and digital academic capacity, ensuring continued enhancement of the academic environment.
The MHF Dangote Graduate Business Scholarship is distinct from ADF’s recently announced nationwide STEM education interventions.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Senior secondary school students across Nigeria have been invited to apply and demonstrate their academic excellence on a national stage in the eighth edition of the prestigious national science competition known as InterswitchSPAK.
The contest is organised by Interswitch, Africa’s leading technology company focused on creating solutions that enable individuals and communities prosper.
Registration for InterswitchSPAK 8.0 via www.interswitchspak.com has opened and will close on Friday, May 24, 2026. For the first time, in addition to group registrations through schools, parents can also register their individual children for the competition.
This year’s edition features a scholarship pool exceeding N40 million, with Interswitch expanding the prize structure to ensure broader impact.
The overall winner will receive a N15 million tertiary scholarship, including monthly stipends. The first runner-up will be awarded a N10 million scholarship, including monthly stipends; while the second runner-up will receive a N5 million scholarship, also including monthly stipends. All scholarships are payable over 5 years. Also, the top 9 finalists will all receive brand new laptops and other exciting prizes.
In addition to the top prizes, Season 8 introduces enhanced rewards for student finalists ranked 4th to 9th, as well as increased recognition for teachers supporting qualifying students from 1st to 9th place. This expanded structure reinforces Interswitch’s commitment to rewarding academic excellence and recognising the critical role educators play in shaping student success.
“At Interswitch, we strongly believe that Nigeria’s future will be shaped by how well we nurture today’s young minds. InterswitchSPAK goes beyond competition; it is a long-term commitment to empowering students and supporting teachers who are laying the foundation for innovation, problem-solving, and national development.
“As we launch Season 8, we remain focused on creating opportunity, rewarding merit, and inspiring excellence across Nigeria,” the Executive Vice President for Group Marketing and Communications at Interswitch, Ms Cherry Eromosele, said.
Designed to empower young minds in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas, InterswitchSPAK identifies, nurtures, and rewards students while equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to excel in STEM fields and drive innovation.
Over the past seven seasons, InterswitchSPAK has positively impacted thousands of students across the country, offering full university scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and national recognition for outstanding academic performance.
Beyond these rewards, the programme has consistently reinforced the importance of STEM education as a critical driver of innovation, problem-solving, and sustainable national development.
Through a transparent, technology-enabled selection process, InterswitchSPAK has also promoted educational equity by providing students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds with equal access to opportunity, ensuring that performance and merit remain central to success.
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