Students of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti, are expressing deep frustration over the sudden surge in off-campus accommodation rents within the town. Many students report that the recent rent hikes have far exceeded their tuition fees, worsening the already difficult economic situation faced by undergraduates in Ekiti State.
According to multiple accounts gathered by The Nigeria Education News, a single room that previously cost between ₦50,000 and ₦70,000 per session now goes for as high as ₦150,000 often without basic amenities such as water supply, toilets, or stable electricity. In some cases, students said landlords are demanding ₦400,000 for self-contained apartments, ₦700,000 for room-and-parlour units, and ₦800,000 for two-bedroom flats.
These inflated rates, students lament, are far beyond the reach of the average student whose parents struggle to meet school fees, feeding, and transportation costs. “It is heartbreaking,” said a 300-level student of Science Education. “How can we pay ₦800,000 for accommodation when our school fees are less than half of that? We are being extorted.”
The situation, they argue, has been made worse by poor housing conditions. Many of the apartments available are reportedly in a state of disrepair, with leaking roofs, broken windows, and no running water. Despite these shortcomings, landlords continue to increase rent arbitrarily, citing rising construction material costs and inflation as justification.
Students have now called on traditional authorities and local leaders to intervene before the crisis spirals out of control. In an open appeal, they urged the paramount ruler of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu-Alagbado, alongside the Supreme Council of Ikere Youths (SCIY) and the Ikere Development Forum (IDF), to take immediate steps toward regulating rent prices in the university community.
The aggrieved students warned that if no meaningful action is taken, they may resort to peaceful protest to draw attention to their plight. “We are not asking for too much,” one student leader said. “All we want is fairness and access to decent accommodation at reasonable prices. Education should not become a burden because of greedy landlords.”
Community members and local associations have also begun expressing concern about the long-term implications of the rent surge. They fear that the situation could discourage prospective students from choosing BOUESTI, thereby affecting the local economy that thrives on student patronage of goods and services.
Some residents, however, argue that the increase is unavoidable due to the rising cost of building materials, insecurity, and economic instability. “Landlords are also victims of the economy,” a resident explained. “Cement prices, roofing materials, and labor costs have all doubled. But there should still be moderation and empathy for the students.”
Stakeholders have therefore called for a balanced approach. They suggest that the university management, in collaboration with local leaders, should introduce a student housing policy or construct affordable hostels to reduce dependence on private landlords. Such an initiative, they say, could help stabilize rent prices and prevent future exploitation.
In the meantime, students have been advised to form cooperative housing groups to collectively rent larger apartments and share costs, or to engage directly with the landlords’ association through a structured dialogue facilitated by the Students’ Union Government (SUG).
Observers believe the BOUESTI rent crisis is a reflection of the broader socioeconomic realities in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, where accommodation challenges persist due to rapid student population growth and insufficient hostel facilities.
As tension continues to rise in Ikere-Ekiti, all eyes are now on the traditional council and community organizations to intervene promptly. Whether through rent regulation, policy formulation, or community-driven action, students say they expect leadership that values education and protects their welfare from exploitation.
