By Chibuike Chukwuka
Students at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Enugu Campus have protested what they described as an unjustified N30,000 “development levy” imposed on them by the school authorities.
The protest, which began from the Health Science Students Association (HESSA), drew attention across the campus as students voiced their frustration over the fee that was made compulsory before they could sit for their exams. According to the students, the levy was not only unexpected but also lacked a clear explanation from the administration.
The protest took place mainly at the UNEC main gate after several attempts at dialogue with the deans and provost failed to yield results.
Before taking to the streets, departmental stakeholders had held a series of meetings with the school authorities to seek clarification on the purpose of the levy. Despite those efforts, the explanations given were vague and unsatisfactory. The students were particularly angered by the condition that they would not be allowed to write their exams unless they paid the N30,000 fee.
Read Also: Kukah: why Nigeria should not be linked to religious genocide
The development levy was introduced around August, and students from various levels were affected. With the regular school fees already standing at about N104,900, many students questioned why such an additional payment was necessary, especially when development charges were already included in their existing fees.
While the demonstration was coordinated by HESSA, students from different faculties joined to show solidarity. The protest eventually pushed the school administration to suspend the payment temporarily.
A memo from the school later confirmed that examinations would proceed without students being required to pay the fee for now.
One student who spoke anonymously said: “I just don’t agree with the payment. We already pay for manual registration of our college courses and other charges. Adding this so-called development fee makes no sense. It feels like an attempt to extort students.”
Although the protest has eased tensions on campus, many students remain skeptical about what might come next. For now, exams are set to continue, but the larger question of transparency in student levies still hangs in the air.