The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of worsening economic hardship for Nigerian families following the increase in registration charges at Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria.
ABU’s revised charges for the 2026/2027 academic session require Nigerian undergraduate students to pay between N143,000 and N298,000, depending on their programme and level of study.
The new charges are higher than the N62,000 to N84,000 paid under the previous schedule.
Reacting to the development, the NDC said the increase would place additional pressure on working-class families struggling to fund their children’s university education.
The party said many parents could no longer afford the cost of higher education under the current economic conditions.
“The take-home pay of many working-class Nigerians who depend on federal institutions like ABU to see their children through higher education cannot even take them home, let alone cover the new fee increase,” the NDC said.
The party described the development as another burden on students and families, blaming what it called “anti-people policies” of the Tinubu administration for worsening poverty.
The NDC also expressed sympathy with ABU students affected by the new charges.
“We empathise with Nigerian students who are now bearing the brunt of the failed policies of the Tinubu-led administration,” the party said.
The party promised that a government led by Peter Obi would prioritise university funding and create an environment it said would enable young Nigerians to thrive.
‘Tinubu sinking more Nigerian families into poverty’ — NDC reacts to ABU fee hike