By Joseph Erunke
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has appealed to the management of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, to immediately reopen its school fees payment and course registration portal for 48 hours, warning that the closure has left many students at risk of missing their examinations and losing an academic session.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Afeez, described the closure of the portal on June 21 as ill-timed and insensitive, especially as the university’s examinations are not scheduled to begin until August 10.
The student body argued that shutting the portal nearly seven weeks before examinations had effectively locked out many students who were still making genuine efforts to raise their school fees amid the country’s prevailing economic hardship.
According to NANS, the development runs contrary to the Federal Government’s efforts to expand access to higher education through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND, which was established to ease the financial burden on students.
“The country is currently undergoing difficult economic reforms, and many parents and students are struggling to meet their financial obligations.
Universities should demonstrate understanding by giving students adequate time to complete their payments and registration,” the association said.
NANS maintained that although the university has the authority to determine the operation of its registration portal, such powers should be exercised with compassion, particularly under the current economic realities.
The association urged the university to grant a final 48-hour window to enable affected students to pay their fees and register their courses before the commencement of examinations.
“Many students who were genuinely working to raise their fees have now been shut out completely, placing their academic future in jeopardy through no fault of their own. Justice should always be tempered with mercy,” the statement added.
The association called on the UNILAG management to urgently review its decision and reopen the portal without further delay, insisting that a brief extension would prevent many students from suffering avoidable academic setbacks.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting the interests of Nigerian students, NANS said it would continue to advocate policies that ensure no student is denied access to education because of financial difficulties.
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