Nigeria: School Resumption - Parents Lament As Fees Go Up 40%

What the report says

Parents in Nigeria are facing higher education costs as primary and secondary schools reopen, according to a Vanguard report carried by AllAfrica. The article says checks across the country found many private schools raising fees by roughly 30% to 40%, adding pressure on families already dealing with broader economic strain. It also notes that in Lagos, some parents of children in public schools who are not formally employed and cannot produce tax clearance certificates now face higher levies than before.

The report gives examples of private schools in Lagos that increased termly tuition from N86,000 to N124,000 in one case and from N250,000 to N320,000 in another. It also says rising petrol prices are affecting school transportation, with some schools reducing or ending bus services and some parents turning to tricycles or other transport options instead. One school owner in Alagbado reportedly stopped operating a school bus entirely because of fuel and maintenance costs.

School proprietors said their expenses have risen because of salaries, maintenance, taxes and unpaid fees, while parent groups argued that many households cannot absorb another large increase. The Nigeria Union of Teachers in Lagos urged parents not to withdraw children from school despite the hardship.

The report also said there had been confusion over resumption in Federal Unity Colleges after social media claims of a postponement, but the Federal Ministry of Education rejected the circular and said the approved resumption date remained 14 September 2026.