The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to introduce transport subsidies for students, warning that rising fuel prices and escalating transport fares are placing additional financial pressure on learners preparing to return to their campuses.
The student body said the recent surge in fuel prices had worsened the cost of travelling to tertiary institutions, leaving students to contend with transportation expenses alongside tuition-related charges, accommodation, feeding and other basic necessities.
The appeal highlights growing concerns about the affordability of higher education in Nigeria, where the financial demands of university life extend beyond the classroom and can affect students’ ability to attend lectures, participate in academic activities and complete their studies.
NANS National President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, urged the Federal Government to intervene by making transportation more affordable for students returning to school.
“As students will be returning, I want the Federal Government to subsidise transport for our students. Many students will be going back to campus, and the recent surge in fuel prices has taken its toll on our students,” Afeez said.
His appeal comes amid broader concerns about the effect of rising living costs on educational access, particularly for students from low-income households who depend on daily or periodic transport to reach their institutions.
For many undergraduates, transportation is not an occasional expense but a recurring financial obligation. Students who live far from their institutions or travel between their homes and campuses may face substantial costs, especially when transport operators adjust fares in response to rising fuel prices.
The implications extend beyond the immediate challenge of getting to campus. When transport consumes a larger share of students’ available funds, money intended for meals, textbooks, internet access, research materials and other academic necessities may become insufficient.
The situation also raises questions about the effectiveness of existing student-support measures and whether transportation should receive greater attention in government policies designed to improve access to higher education.
Afeez also called for urgent government intervention in student accommodation, identifying poor hostel conditions across tertiary institutions as another major concern affecting the welfare of Nigerian students.
“I want the Federal Government to invest in education infrastructure, especially hostels. Our hostels across the country are not in good condition. We want better hostels where students can sleep comfortably and read and study,” he said.
He further urged federal and state governments to work together to address the accommodation crisis, arguing that improved hostel facilities would provide students with safer and more conducive environments for learning.
“Both state and federal governments should come together and declare a state of emergency for our hostels across the country,” Afeez added.
The twin demands for transport relief and improved accommodation underscore the importance of student welfare in discussions about educational quality. While access to admission remains a significant milestone, students must also be able to afford the everyday costs of remaining in school and completing their programmes.
For students already struggling with limited financial support, rising transportation costs can intensify the pressure on household budgets and increase dependence on parents, guardians, personal savings and other sources of assistance.
NANS’s appeal therefore places the spotlight on the need for practical interventions that address the cost of attending school, rather than focusing exclusively on admission opportunities and institutional expansion.
Possible measures include targeted transport subsidies, affordable campus shuttle services, partnerships with public transport operators and improved student accommodation. Such interventions could help reduce the financial burden on students while making access to lectures and other academic activities more manageable.
The government’s response to the appeal could have implications for students across the country, particularly those travelling considerable distances to attend federal and state-owned tertiary institutions.
As students prepare for academic activities, the central question remains whether the cost of getting to campus will become another barrier to educational participation or whether targeted support will help ease the burden.
For NANS, subsidised transportation and improved hostel facilities are important components of a broader effort to ensure that financial hardship does not undermine students’ educational aspirations.
