Students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu Campus, on Wednesday took to the streets to protest what they described as an unjustified N30,000 development levy imposed by the school authorities.
The demonstration, which began among members of the Health Science Students Association (HESSA), quickly spread across the campus as hundreds of undergraduates joined in solidarity. Chanting slogans and carrying placards, the students marched to the UNEC main gate, demanding an immediate reversal of the fee.
The protesters said the levy, introduced around August, was made compulsory before they could sit for their semester examinations. They alleged that despite several meetings with faculty deans and the provost, the administration failed to provide a clear explanation for the new charge.
“We already pay over N100,000 in school fees, including various development charges,” said a student who preferred not to be named. “This additional N30,000 makes no sense. It feels like extortion.”
Efforts to resolve the matter through dialogue reportedly collapsed after the authorities insisted on payment as a condition for writing examinations. That decision triggered widespread anger across departments and faculties, leading to a mass protest that temporarily disrupted activities on campus.
Following the demonstration, the university administration issued a memo suspending the implementation of the levy. The circular confirmed that students would be allowed to proceed with their examinations without paying the fee for now.
Although the suspension has calmed tensions, many students remain wary of the school’s next steps.
“We’re relieved that the exams will go on, but this fight isn’t over,” another student said. “We want transparency on where these so-called development funds go.”
With regular tuition already pegged at about N104,900, students are questioning the rationale for a separate development levy, especially when similar charges are reportedly included in their existing fees.
While normalcy has returned to campus, the protest has reignited broader discussions about accountability and transparency in student levies across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
