The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has criticised a fresh increase in undergraduate charges approved by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Under the new schedule, Nigerian undergraduate students will pay between ₦143,000 and ₦298,000, depending on their faculty, programme and level of study.
For incoming Law students, the new charge is ₦182,000, up from the previous figure of about ₦82,625.
Students entering Medicine and Surgery or Dentistry will pay ₦242,000, while charges for several other professional courses have also risen significantly.
The revised structure was approved by the university’s Governing Council at its September 29 special meeting following an earlier Senate resolution.
NANS President Akinteye Afeez described the increase as a “joke taken too far” and called on the university’s management to reconsider the decision.
The fee increase raises a particularly important question for legal education.
While professional training already carries substantial costs after the undergraduate stage, higher university charges may further widen the economic barrier confronting students seeking to qualify as lawyers.
The debate therefore extends beyond ABU.
Across Nigeria, the rising cost of university education is increasingly forcing policymakers to confront the tension between the financial needs of public institutions and the obligation to keep tertiary education accessible.
For law students, that debate is likely to become even more important as tuition, accommodation, professional training and Nigerian Law School expenses continue to accumulate.
Related Stories
READ MORE: Court Restores Access to 214 UNICAL Law Students
READ MORE: Professional Opportunities Open for Lawyers, Academics and Legal Practitioners
